Waterfall of Spirits
by Scarlette Shizuru
Summary: After sometime, Aizen's forces increase in power. The Gotei 13 choose to find new candidates and they do. They find five children who managed to surpass normal stats of a Shinigami. HitsuOC,ByaOC,UkiOC,UryuuOC,HimeOC CHP 25 up! Complete!
1. New Entrees

Chapter 1 – New Entrées

After some time, the Soul Society slowly lost some Shinigami forces. Yamamoto could only sigh; this was bad enough for Soul Society, now that Aizen betrayed alongside Ichimaru and Tousen. He knew getting new Shinigami would only endanger more lives but what could they do? They were short on military power and manpower. He walked slowly to the Shinigami Academy where new Shinigami were being trained and often checked if there was anyone who could surpass Aizen, though, no one seemed to have the potential. The Espada were bad enough and the more hollows he created, the worse it got for them.

Aizen was aiming to become god which was not a good thing. He had to sacrifice 1,000,000 souls just so he can create the King's Key and enter the realm where the king lies. However, no Shinigami has ever entered that realm. Entering there would be suicide. Finally, he saw the school, he heard wooden swords clash against one another and Choujirou, his lieutenant and often his personal companion gave him a glance, "Do you think there can be anyone here who could surpass Aizen?"

He sighed, "If he could," –his eyes remained mournful, "he would be most likely unstable due to the lack of experience."

When he entered, he saw the list of the top ten. Most of them were girls though:

Yagami Hisoka

Yuchizawa Reika

Hoshikaze Shana

Shougetsu Miko

Kanagura Jin

Ryoumi Hiruda

Danzei Suzumi

Hogumo Kusaka

Naneira Yuma

Choubana Noeru

The kids didn't seem like much. There were two familiar names however; one was the Shougetsu since one of the former squad captains was Shougetsu Sora, former captain of Squad Nine before Tousen and Kusaka, which belonged to Kusaka Soujirou, the one who wielded the same zanpakuto as Toushirou Hitsugaya and the one who landed him in a lot of trouble. As he entered, the teacher was there; focusing more on their swordsmanship for the time being.

He asked, "Ah, sou-taichou, what brings you here today?" The old man gave a weak smile, "Preferably, I'd like to see the top four in combat."

He nodded, "Right this way, sou-taichou." Leading him to one side where most of the students were, the top one or valedictorian of Shinigami Academy allowed number's 2, 3 and 4 to go against him. They were equal in kidou however; the valedictorian had very extraordinary control of his reiatsu and reiryouku above the others. His sword was a claymore; normally, one person would require two hands to carry something that heavy but this boy made short work of it by using a one handed style.

He inquired, "This must be… Yagami Hisoka if I'm not mistaken."

The teacher nodded, "Yes, sir. He's practically the best. His mastery in kidou has surpassed many of the seniors here and his swordsmanship is so graceful and no wasted energy, it was as if he was trained to fight for years." The old man watched him for he looked very familiar and yet, knew there was something wrong with the picture.

This boy looked like a girl more than a guy.

In fact, he moved like one as well. He was too graceful… too graceful for this kind of thing especially with that heavy thing.

The funny part was… he behaved like one too. In fact, the way he addressed people was more honorific than usual rather than slang.

"Hisoka-nii, how the hell are we supposed to beat you in a cramped place like this!?" yelled one of the top four.

He saw her and knew one thing; she was number two judging from her actions. Hisoka gave her a calm reply, "All you need to do is learn how to take advantage of your surroundings. That's all. You were always good in this, weren't you, Reika?"

Yamamoto took a look at Hisoka, his silver hair was pretty short however, and his body had curves and was shaped too much to be that of a man. Then, he saw another one draw out a bow and arrow as the little girl smiled, "Hisoka-nii, shall we begin?"

The valedictorian smiled, "Yes. Now, come at me, Reika, Shana, Miko!" The three nodded and bolted in furious speed as arrows flew from the air. The young man expected this though, leaping in the air and sheathing his blade into the silver sheath whispering, "Quick Sword…" By loading his sword arm with reiryouku, his sword flew quickly in the air and blocked the arrows and Reika's slashing attempts.

Miko's blade had changed into a staff however; her zanpakuto's nature emitted such a bad feeling that even Yamamoto felt there was something wrong. This girl… wielded probably one of the most dangerous known zanpakuto alive.

Fukitsu, the thirteen tailed black cat.

But, he looked at her once more. How can such a sweet looking girl wield such a bad natured zanpakuto? He remembered that Shougetsu Sora also wielded the same weapon. Perhaps, she inherited the zanpakuto from the man. For some reason, she seemed related to him. The other one, Shana, she was pretty small for her age, she had lavender colored hair and was armed with a bow, the same bow that quincies used centuries ago.

"Reign in the silver skies, Shukumei!"

Shukumei? Was that the name of the boy's zanpakuto? If so, that should be impossible. Shukumei is a zanpakuto people haven't heard in years. In fact, the last time someone used that was the prince of Soul Society who was the former commander of the Squad Ten. In fact, no one knew that he was of royal bloodline until later on. Toushirou hadn't heard much about him but there was one sure thing: this young man here might actually be related to him. Yagami Hisoka, somehow, they had a very big resemblance to each other.

From the claymore, came a winged horse that had a white shining aura and his blade had a chain attached to it. Miko cried out, "Curse," –she released her zanpakuto's true form, "Fukitsu!" Her staff appeared; revealing a black enamelled staff with gold lining and a hard gold ball at the end. Yamamoto could only stare in shock, this was the real thing. He never realized this one would come back, however…

What do the other two wield as a zanpakuto?

He watched them carefully as the two revealed their zanpakuto. Shana's bow grew in size; revealing a frilled lizard as a face mark on the bow. Though surprised, he showed no emotion. He saw the zanpakuto, knowing what its power was already by just seeing it.

"Spread… Shinijikumaru!"

The little girl's zanpakuto was that of Shinijikumaru, one of the zanpakuto associated with famine while Fukitsu was always associated with bad luck. Nevertheless, this Shinijikumaru was one of the more sadistic and hot tempered zanpakuto while Fukitsu, was always more compliant with terminal solutions. The last one, Reika had not shown hers yet, however, he could feel it in his rickety old bones that she too possessed a very dangerous zanpakuto. The blonde (Miko), the lavenderette and the silver haired boy had revealed their zanpakuto and showed great skill in controlling them. Reika screamed, "Is that the best you got? Alrighty then! Drive into the blackened ocean… Shukketsu Boumei-sha!"

Her zanpakuto revealed a long scythe with bells attached to it and the red colour all over it was not paint. Reika's eyes changed from her green ones to jet black and her once tangerine colored hair became crimson red. Most of the time, zanpakuto affect their wielders appearances and sometimes even their demeanor. Unlike others, their (Miko's and Shana's) zanpakuto was less integrated into the weapon but rather it appeared as a second weapon to the wielders.

Shukumei however was a different case. It had very distinct similarities like the chain attached to it was another blade but shorter like a dagger. Also, the other one is the size was the one that intrigued him. The biggest one he had ever seen is the one wielded by Ichigo Kurosaki, who called his zanpakuto Zangetsu. Reika alone looked dangerous and so did the other two however, the valedictorian, though not looking much, he himself posed a bigger threat than these three alone.

"Yo, Hisoka-kun!" yelled a cocky voice from behind.

The silver haired teen blocked the boy's attack as the voice said, "You're going to leave me out of this? What a shame…"

A smirk formed at the valedictorian's face, "You never did learn from your lessons…did you, Jin?"

With this, Hisoka's voice trailed away along with his image. The brunette yelled, "Hey! Come out and fight me, Hisoka! Yagami-kun you better stop hiding or I will…"

"What? Defeat me?" smirked a voice.

Jin turned around and saw slash marks all over himself and saw the phantasm like image produced by Hisoka's wild speed. He growled, "What the hell? That's a captain level technique! You can't use that yet!" Upon seeing that, he knew Jin had a point; that was the Flash Step and not many people knew it except the captains and certain lieutenants.

Hisoka explained calmly, "I call that the Phantom Sword…Gin'ei Katana. One uses an afterimage which would fool the opponent for at least a second and then, drive in an attack… like… my Quick Sword."

Again, with instantaneous and frightening speed, he dealt limitless strikes to the attacker leaving Jin helpless on the floor. Shana cheered, "Hisoka-nii can do anything!"

Miko nodded, "Now I understand why every girl in Soul Society wants him."

Reika giggled softly, "Wait 'til they know the truth behind him." Yamamoto noticed that almost every female student swooned over him saying all these weird comments that he wished he hadn't heard. Now, there was an exam to be done. He wanted to see if they can tolerate the pressure in battle. He whispered to the teacher something as the teacher called, "Everyone, gather!"

All the students formed twenty lines with an average of ten per line as Yamamoto said, "Today… is your graduation day."

Everyone looked at each other, "Really? Whoa…" Voices of murmuring were heard as he continued.

"As you all know, Sosuke Aizen, Gin Ichimaru and Kaname Tousen had betrayed Soul Society," –he cleared his throat, "I will give you your first test. This is the part where we will see if… you can tolerate the pressure of combat."

Some of the students gulped as he eyed them, "Now, your test is to hunt at least four hollows within Karakura Town, your other objective is not to have the Substitute Shinigami kill the hollow before you do." A lot of the students got nervous at the sight of the old man, feeling his outrageous reiatsu streaming from him despite his old age. He continued, "Now, for those who kill the most hollows will move on. The ones with the least will remain in the Academy for the time being. That will be all…" He shuffled away as the teacher ordered, "Alright, you heard sou-taichou. Let the tests begin!"

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

At one side of Karakura, Hisoka stood on a lamp post, scanning his surroundings. He looked at himself, "I can't keep this charade forever, and sooner or later… someone's going to know who I really am." He felt different patterns of energy as he examined the surroundings. He smiled, "Four strong readings in the north from where I am standing. Three weaker ones in the western side and…"

Then, he felt a large amount of energy. He quickly analysed it and realized who it was.

"Darn…the substitute caught their scent… better finish this quickly."

Jumping down, Hisoka quickly used his phantasm like technique to catch up the hollows. He found them, attacking a plus and they were more like A-class type hollows. He smirked, "A screecher and two john does, this would be interesting." The hollows saw him but it was too late, he quickly dealt with them using the Quick Sword and sheathed them after a fountain of blood sprayed behind him. Hisoka sighed, "I'm sorry Shukumei, I just didn't think they were worthy enough to be killed by you. It's no use revealing your true form to them anyway…"

"_Mistress, you are indeed most kind. Yet… please exercise me once in awhile."_

The female zanpakuto, Shukumei was hardly revealed to others unless necessary. To Hisoka, these hollows didn't need to see her anyway. He walked away heading for the western side. Then, he said, "Shukumei?"

"_Yes, mistress?"_

Hisoka sighed, "You're one of the very few who know who I really am. Please, don't call me 'mistress' in front of people. They will get a disturbing mental image once they hear that."

Shukumei protested, "But, you still know that…"

Hisoka cut her off, "Yes, I know. I still know. Forgive me for interrupting but we have another hollow to slay."

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

Meanwhile, on the other side of the town, Miko walked around alone clutching to Fukitsu for dear life.

"_Madam Miko, you have no reason to feel afraid yet here you are, trembling as you cling on to me."_

Miko gulped, "But Fukitsu, I'm more used to travelling with Byakuya-sama when we find hollows. I'm a supporter and a defensive type Shinigami there's no way I can fight a group of hollows alone!"

"So, here's lunch for us! It sure is our lucky day because it's a girl too!"

Miko looked up and saw several hollows and gulped with a thought, "Fukitsu, we're going to die! I'm scared!"

The black cat assured her, _"There is no reason for you to be scared, little one. I will deal with them, personally. Just call out for me." _

Nodding and trusting Fukitsu, Miko got her whistle as the hollows laughed, "What the hell is that? A whistle?"

Another hooted, "Yeah, this girl thinks she'll defeat us with a whistle!" Miko didn't flinch at the sight as her command came out nice and clear:

"Curse."

The hollows looked at her as her body emitted a large black aura that could scare anyone away if they were within her range. She finished her command, "Curse, Fukitsu!" Her black cat appeared which was bigger than 10 meters, crushing whatever hollow was near her. The cat's claw sliced all hollows in half and purred in a cute manner as soon as it returned to its normal form.

Miko smiled shakily, "Um… thanks… Fukitsu-chan."

"_No problem, madam Miko. And please, do not call me Fukitsu-chan. I have a reputation to uphold and it can get ruined by that name alone."_

The blonde giggled, "Okay, neko-chan!"

"_For the umpteenth time, please Madam Miko, never say that again!"_

She only laughed as she imagined Fukitsu howling in the air because of the cutesy name.

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

Reika was a different matter. She sat on the bench, annoyed that she could no longer find any. Three hollows lay near her as she lazily decided to kick back and relax. Their blood was all over the place as she cleaned her scythe with her hanky. "Damn hollows," –she clicked her tongue as she cocked her head around, "they never learn. I wasn't known as Exile Specialist Reika for nothing. Though," –her voice trailed away, "Hisoka-taichou would be doing so much better than me. Miko's so defenceless since she was always with Mr. I'm-better-than-everyone and Shana's ultra unstable and unreasonable. It's amazing Hisoka-taichou can manage us despite our annoying flaws."

"You a Shinigami?" growled a low voice.

The orange haired girl looked up with a retort, "Yeah, what's your problem, you ugly bastard?"

Despite her retort, the man sneered, "I just wanted to know if… you'd make a good meal for me."

At this, Reika smirked, "You're the biggest dumbass I ever faced. Do you really think," –Shukketsu Boumei-sha became the scythe once more as her orange hair became crimson once again, "I'd let you eat me? Don't get so conceited, you overgrown son of a bitch." The hollow revealed his form as Reika lived up to her name as the Blood Soaked Executioner.

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

Shana walked calmly around. Despite her age, she was pretty mature, most people though found her unstable due to her possessiveness over her friends like making Reika her babysitter, Miko her mother figure and Hisoka her older brother figure and also her mother figure. No one understood why but some say that in her past, she was abandoned as a baby and was left to die. This left her incredibly unstable and Hisoka was the only one with the understanding to hug her and listen to her rants and in return, Shana vowed that if anyone tried to attack Hisoka they won't be able to meet him since she'll kill them first.

It was a heavy amount of loyalty but to others, they said she was too clingy to him and he would've performed better if she didn't cling onto him all the time though the valedictorian dismissed it saying what they're doing is depriving a kid from the attention it needs. Her loyalty to him wasn't blind however she was willing to throw her morals to make sure Hisoka's plans succeed which it didn't require her to do most of the time.

"Hisoka-nii…Mama," –she murmured as she looked into the sky, "I will slay every hollow and destroy those who hurt you. You don't deserve to throw away your identity like that. In fact, those who made you do that," –she balled her hand into a fist, "will die by my arrows. I actually don't know what to call you now… whether it should be Mama or Hisoka-nii."

"So this is rumoured Quincy-Shinigami… interesting. She's only a little girl." Sneering one voice.

In awe, the Quincy Shinigami looked up with a wide eyed stare, "Oh… so big…"

The hollows grinned at her as she bounced away from where she was standing. One of them smiled while licking his chops, "Don't worry. I won't hurt you little girl. I just want something to eat."

She glared, "If you want something to eat, the word 'hurt' was already included in the implications, and I'll kick your butt right now! Spread… Shinijikumaru!"

The frilled lizard appeared as arrows appeared from its mouth and fan like shield. Shana cast, "Kidou… binding technique!" The hollows remained in place as the arrows struck with massive speed, piercing every point of their body, killing them instantly. Shana watched the hollows drop to the floor as she grinned, "Yay! Thank you, Shinijikumaru!"

"_It is an honor serving you, Mistress Shana."_

The Quincy-Shinigami looked at the hollows vanished and shrugged; they were just going to hell anyway. Well, as long as she didn't use any of her Quincy arrows then, she was fine. She smiled, "Well, I better head back." She then marched away impishly back to Soul Society to see what was going on and whether or not she passed the test.

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

The moment they returned, they were the last to return. Shana saw Jin with a smirk across his face as he bragged, "Yeah! I killed five hollows! Beat that, Yagami!"

The silver haired teen replied monotonously, "So? I took out seven. I hope you don't mind."

Jin folded his arms, "Yeah sure… huh!? Seven!? I only defeated five!"

Miko raised her hand, "I defeated five too!"

Shana mumbled shyly, "I took out six…"

Reika smirked, "I took out six as well, dumbass. So stop being a braggart or I shove your foot into your mouth."

Feeling ashamed as to be beaten by girls, Jin shrank away from Reika and Hisoka as the two lined up for their graduation. The teacher, Sanamori Higetsu smiled, "I am pleased to announce that all of you passed the test. You will be given your squad assignments on the next day."

The students bustled with excitement the next day. They all rushed to the bulletin board as Hisoka, Reika, Miko and Shana followed the bustling crowd. They saw the thirteen divisions' captains' name only to realize, that they weren't squad members. Hisoka checked his name, "Hm… this is interesting. Hitsugaya Toushirou's division, lieutenant: Rangiku Matsumoto." The silver haired teen turned around; Miko, Reika and Shana checked out their squads to see whom they would be working for.

"I'm in Squad Eleven! Yahoo!"

They saw Jin, leaping with excitement as Miko's jaw dropped, "Squad Six…?"

Reika's eyes widened, "Ah! Squad Thirteen! No way!"

Shana sighed, "I'm Squad Four… no fair…"

The only people who seemed happy were Reika and Jin. Some others thought they were nuts. Hisoka had already vanished though he wasn't very hard to track since almost every girl in Shinigami Academy swooned over him and followed after him as if he were a god.

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

Hisoka finally found the door to Squad Ten. It was pretty big and he saw a big Japanese sign of 'ten' on it. He breathed out, "Alright. Here I go." He slowly opened the door, there he found a sleeping strawberry blonde lieutenant. Hisoka thought, "That must be Rangiku Matsumoto." He approached the sleeping lieutenant with ease as he tapped her lightly, "Where's Captain Hitsugaya?"

The blonde, upon being tapped shot up screaming, "Taichou, I did all the paper work! I know I did!" Hisoka, though slightly shocked found it a bit comical seeing Rangiku freak out like mad.

She smiled, "Oh, you must be the new guy! I'm Rangiku Matsumoto! Vice Captain of Squad Ten!"

Hisoka bowed, "An honor to meet you, Matsumoto-san."

Though surprised by his calm and over polite tone, Matsumoto cheerfully added, "Well, I'll show you around, where you sleep and stuff like that. Also, I'll bring you to the night life and stuff like that…"

"I don't think that's a good idea, Matsumoto," came a firm voice.

They saw Toushirou with his arms folded with a smirk placed across his face. He added, "He's new and you're already teaching him how to be rebellious?"

Matsumoto smiled, "Of course not, taichou! I just wanted this kid to know how to have fun. Unlike a certain somebody…"

Toushirou eyed her and then took a look at Hisoka, "You must be the child prodigy they were talking about the other day, and you're Yagami Hisoka, right?" The boy nodded as the both of them studied him for a moment.

Like Yamamoto, Toushirou had one question popping in his head: Was he a girl or a guy? Matsumoto also had the same feeling. Hisoka asked, "Is there something wrong, Hitsugaya-taichou?"

The white haired captain shook his head, "No. I was just thinking about something."

Matsumoto smiled cheerfully, "Yeah! He's always deep in thought!"

With this, Toushirou asked, "I need you to follow me outside." Hisoka followed after Hitsugaya as Matsumoto also followed after him.

Toushirou gave him a firm look, "I need to asses everyone's strength so that we can work efficiently in a group. You better release all your strength otherwise I won't know what to do with you in case we get stuck in a battle."

Hisoka nodded as Toushirou said, "Let's go."

Their swords quickly clashed with one another. Slowly releasing more and more of their reiryouku, Toushirou and Hisoka showed the true form of their zanpakuto. What intrigued Toushirou was the size of the blade and why Hisoka did not bother using the zanpakuto techniques or any other spells. In fact, he was relying on sheer sword skill and his limitless strikes managed to hit Toushirou's haori while his captain managed to slash his sleeves.

They clashed once more, expelling large amounts of reiatsu, freaking out almost every member in Squad Ten. Matsumoto squeaked, "Taichou! Hisoka-kun! Don't blow up the place!" The two didn't reply as they went at it again. Two swords clashed once more creating sparks and loud screeches. Like in the movie, Diamond Dust Rebellion, Zangetsu mentioned memories being shown as the zanpakuto clashed with each other. Toushirou saw memories of a girl running alongside a little boy however what he saw was this, as the girl grew up, she saw her brother mangled and bloodied after a heavy battle.

Toushirou saw the haori; it was that of Squad Ten. Who was this man and who was the girl? Hisoka on the other hand saw Toushirou's memories with Soujirou Kusaka, Momo Hinamori, and Rangiku Matsumoto. The lieutenant asked, "Uh… taichou, maybe you should…" Toushirou told her, "I'm not yet done." Hisoka remained stoic and his eyes watched Toushirou's feet since he knew one thing: Flash Step was not very easy to catch. The captain quickly started using Flash Step and Hisoka used the phantom step, which was similar to the flash step except a wee bit slower.

"Soar into the frozen sky, Hyourinmaru!"

"Reign in the silver skies, Shukumei!"

The two projectiles appeared, the water-ice dragon and the silvery white winged horse. They collided with each other, catching the attention of many other squad members. They rushed outside immediately only to find them (Toushirou and Hisoka) forced to their knees; panting in fatigue. However, Hisoka managed to stand up again regaining his composure as Toushirou smirked, "So, that's why you're valedictorian… I shouldn't have expected less."

Hisoka bowed graciously, "Thank you, Hitsugaya-taichou."

Matsumoto squealed, "Yay! I'm glad that's over! Because… look who's coming." Toushirou and Hisoka looked up and saw Captain Shaolin Fon or Soi Fon as known to many moving towards them with a menacing glare.

"Alright, who's the idiot who decided to tick me off again?" growled the 2nd Division Captain.

The tenth squad captain replied coolly, "We were just training, Captain Soi Fon. There was no mass destruction or carnage here anyway."

Soi Fon squinted as she eyed him, "Oh? Or are you really hiding something?" She pointed her blade at Toushirou however, in response; Hisoka quickly raised his blade near her neck.

The female captain smirked, "You're pretty arrogant, boy. I believe it's your first time here." Hisoka did not answer however, Soi Fon was ready to kick him but he managed to move to one side but her shoe managed to scuff his face a little.

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

Meanwhile, Miko managed to make her way to Squad Six and when she saw the symbol, her jaw dropped. She gulped as she whimpered, "I knew there was a reason why I didn't like Squad Six…"

"It's headed by Kuchiki-sama!"

Miko slumped to the floor; sighing in defeat. She then looked at the huge wooden door and then she heard a voice call her:

"Hey, you going to stay there?"

She looked back and saw a red haired Shinigami walking with his sword mounted on his back. She rose to her feet, "Ah! I'm sorry, I'm Shougetsu Miko! I'm new here in Squad Six and I was wondering…on… um… well…"

Despite her stuttering, he at first looked at her queerly and then in the end snickered, "Hey relax. No one's going to bite you. I'm Abarai Renji by the way, lieutenant of Squad Six. Don't worry, Captain Kuchiki won't freeze you right away." She nodded as they stepped in.

Renji yelled, "Hiya Captain Kuchiki!"

Byakuya sighed, "Do you ever remember the respect that you're supposed to give me, Lieutenant?"

The red head smirked, "Yeah, yeah whatever. Oh by the way, did you hear about the new member? Oh wait, you normally don't give a crap about your squad members unless necessary anyhow."

Then, Miko managed to make a sound, "Um… Kuchiki-sama…?"

The Squad Six captain saw the blonde behind Renji and smiled faintly, "Hello, Miko."

Renji looked back and forth, "You two know each other? I don't see what the problem is!"

"She knows her place," –quipped Byakuya, "unlike you…"

Renji slouched; sighing in defeat as Miko stood frozen to the floor. Byakuya gave her a queer look, "Shougetsu, you're not going to accomplish anything by just standing there frozen like a statue now are you?"

The blonde shook her head furiously, "No! Of course, I'll get to work right away!"

She was trembling like mad while Renji thought, "Yeesh, she looks like she's about to pee in her pants."

Miko quickly rushed to her desk and began organizing her desk. Renji sighed, "Good grief…"

Byakuya could already see the look in her eyes that she was going to work hard however, he saw something else in her. Something really different from the first time he met her. He remembered everything though he didn't want to tell her what happened many years ago.

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

Meanwhile, Shana made her way to a very big department of Squad Four. She looked up, "Why is everything so big?"

"Maybe it's because you're so puny." Teased a voice.

She turned back and saw some other Shinigami who were definitely not from Squad Four. She whined, "I'm not short! I'm just delayed, that's all…"

The guys laughed as the one who taunted her said, "Yahahahaha! How do you think you're going to scare us if you're just a little kid!?"

Shana's eyes gave off an evil glint, "Are you sure about that?" By giving them that glare, her reiatsu's nature changed drastically from sweet and innocent into cold and tense. The Shinigami freaked out in horror as Shana slowly drew her blade, "Are you sure… you want to leave the world so soon?"

"What's going on here?" a voice came from behind.

They saw Captain Unohana with her usual pleasant smile and Shana's power slowly returning back to normal. Unohana looked around, "Oh my, if there's going to be any bullying here, I suggest you take it somewhere else please." The Shinigami ran off instantly, leaving Shana alone to talk to Captain Unohana.

The female captain asked, "Hm… Oh, are you Hoshikaze Shana?"

The little girl nodded and the captain smiled, "Welcome to Squad Four then, Shana."

The Quincy-Shinigami smiled and followed after her new captain as if Unohana was mommy. Isane, her lieutenant, saw Shana coming in with Captain Unohana who was the leader of the 4th division introduced Shana to everyone. Isane smiled, "Hi, Shana," –she extended to shake her hand, "I'm Kotetsu Isane. I'm the lieutenant around here."

Shana stared at her at first and then squealed, "Isane-nee-chan!" The periwinkle haired lieutenant was shocked out of her brains however she smiled at the new entry of Squad Four, she led her around, showing one place after the other.

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

Reika now stood in the Squad Thirteen barracks looking around. A lot of the squad members began glaring at her. She looked around with a thought, "Is my reiatsu that bad? Or do I have a 'kick me' sign at the back?" Reika began looking around and she sighed. This was not a good first impression and she slumped on the bed. She buried her face in a pillow in exhaustion and annoyance as she heard all the people murmuring left and right.

"Will she kill us?"

"I hear she's called the Executioner Specialist Reika. She gets all vulgar and masculine in battle."

"They say her zanpakuto thrives on blood. Does it really?"

"I wonder how many people's she's killed."

Reika, getting annoyed finally decided to scream, "What the hell is everyone's problem!? Maybe I should just quit being a Shinigami since all you assholes won't accept me just because I just got some wacko title I didn't want!"

"What's with all the noise!?"

Two third seats appeared as the crowd began to clear up. One orange haired one and another guy with a beard and all. The girl yelled, "Okay, guys, clear up! Everyone back to your assigned posts!"

Wondering where the loud noise came from, Reika looked up and she said, "Ah, don't mind them; they're always like that with new comers. I'm Kotetsu Kiyone! And you're…"

Reika looked away as she mumbled, "Yuchizawa… Reika…" Kiyone's eyes widened and then later sounded awfully cheerful after hearing her name, "Hey, Reika! Welcome to Squad Thirteen! Though Captain Ukitake is not in great condition, I'll be the one to show you around!" Reika smiled as she followed Kiyone.

The other one yelled, "Hey Kiyone! I'm supposed to be the one showing her around!" Kiyone snarled back, "Of course not, you armpit smelling mosquito attracting monkey! Ukitake-taichou said…!"

"Hey, both of you, there's no reason to shout." A calm voice came from behind.

The two stopped screaming at each other and Reika saw her captain, Juushiro Ukitake. He smiled, "Hi, Reika, you must be my new member right? Welcome aboard." With him stood the other members of Squad Thirteen who were a lot kinder than the others. Juushiro smiled, "So, Reika, where do you want to start unloading your stuff?"

Reika looked around and shrugged, "I'm fine with anywhere really."

Juushiro smiled, "Well, we better get started then." Reika followed after her captain through the squad barracks right after.

-That's chapter 1, please read and review!


	2. The Hollow Hunt

(I don't own Bleach!)

Chapter 2 – Hollow Hunt

As the Squads began cleaning up, it was no different in Squad Ten until they got a message from one of the hell butterflies. What kind of hollow marches into Soul Society and from Rukongai? Since the place was closest to Squad Ten, Toushirou of course, was told to get rid of thing like always. Toushirou sighed, "Alright, Rangiku, Hisoka, looks like we have something to get rid of. You're coming, both of you." The two quickly looked up from their desk with only one reply:

"Yes sir."

They pushed their chairs back in and followed after their captain out of the room heading towards Rukongai.

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

"Funny, I thought I felt a huge reiatsu signature here," thought the silver haired boy as he and his captain moved around Rukongai as inconspicuously as they could. Toushirou sighed as they finally spotted the hollow running around like a maddened bull.

Toushirou groaned, "This is child's play…" He did the Flash Step, striking it hard however, his sword didn't completely go through which was totally unexpected. The white haired captain snarled, "That… was bad." Its tail flew in the air only to be countered by Rangiku then, Hisoka managed to block all the arms before it took Hitsugaya with it.

Toushirou issued the orders, "Rangiku, hack off all its arms and legs, Hisoka, fall back for now and I'm going for the head."

Now, Hisoka wasn't the type to defy orders however because of his 'unique' ability, he defied the orders. He pretended to fall back however, swinging behind Hitsugaya and taking off the Hollow's head before it did any massive damage. Hitsugaya yelled, "Hisoka! What the hell are you doing!? I told you to…!"

Matsumoto yelled, "Taichou!" The captain quickly dodged it and then Matsumoto took off any of its arms.

Now, this hollow, taking off its head won't kill it. You need to make sure it was all in small cubes and pieces. Hisoka, revealing his technique the 'Quick Sword' made the hollow seem like a child's toy. Matsumoto summoned Haineko and Toushirou decided to bring out Hyourinmaru just to take down the hollow. Finally, the monster fell unto the ground like a limp rag doll and everyone in Junrinan stared in shock as they remembered the little boy that used to estrange himself from others. Matsumoto tapped her captain, "Eh, taichou… I don't think the Hyourinmaru was a good idea."

"I wouldn't have needed to," –yelled the captain, "if Hisoka listened to me and held back!"

Hisoka slowly stood up, "I'm sorry, taichou," –his voice very polite about it, "I guess… I got a little carried away…"

Though he wanted to get pissed, the captain sighed, "Well, don't run off like that again, next time your head might fall off." Hisoka nodded and then, suddenly he pivoted around; looking at the far distance and the souls were in deep shock, waiting for Hisoka's next move.

Rangiku said, "Eh, Hisoka-kun, I don't think there's anything here anymore." However, Hisoka's reply was different, "Matsumoto-san, please take exactly three steps backwards…"

Though dumbfounded, Matsumoto shrugged, "Well, since you were polite about it, I'll do it."

The moment Matsumoto took the third step, a hollow dropped down from one of the trees and Hitsugaya was in shock, "What!? I didn't even feel that!" He shifted his glance to Hisoka who was perfectly calm and whose silver eyes watched the hollow's movement carefully, "Could it… be that… he has the ability of precognition and clairvoyance?"

Hisoka made a mad dash for the hollow but Toushirou was faster and he quickly struck it with an instant shot. The hollow fell and Hisoka watched Hitsugaya sheath his sword. "Next time, you should move faster or better yet, tell me."

Hisoka hung his head low. "I'm sorry, taichou. I'll move faster next time." Toushirou sighed as he checked around Junrinan; no living hollows anymore so, everything was clear. He looked at his two subordinates as they investigated the place.

Toushiro thought, "This is odd… the last time this happened was… never."

Matsumoto asked. "Do you think we should report this to sou-taichou?" Toushiro nodded. "Yeah, I think we should."

He led Hisoka and Rangiku away from Junrinan and then saw his old house. "Maybe," –he set down his sword, "we should pay my grandmother a visit for awhile, we might get some info." Rangiku and Hisoka followed Hitsugaya inside as the other people watched them move in.

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

Meanwhile Miko was in Squad Six, sorting out papers as always. Renji sighed, "How could you allow Kuchiki-taichou to look down on you like that?"

She shrugged. "Well, I'm used to it really. He's a noble after all…"

Renji growled. "But still…! I never allowed him to treat me like trash, though he does most of the time…"

Surprised by his concern, Miko smiled cheerfully. "I'm sure he does that to make us tougher, Abarai-san."

He growled. "Gee, you're optimistic."

"Gomenasai, I was just trying to cheer us up."

Renji smirked. "Well, it's okay. I'm sure you didn't mean anything bad anyway. But still, Kuchiki-taichou can sometimes be…"

"Be what?" asked a deep voice.

They both turned around and saw Captain Kuchiki with a very stoic look. Renji gulped. "Ah it's nothing, taichou. I'm just getting back to work, as always."

He moved away quickly as Miko asked, "Why did he suddenly run away? Did I scare him with my reiatsu again…?"

Byakuya put his hand lightly on her shoulder. "Don't worry, Shougetsu. Also, don't let people like him influence you, understand?"

She nodded, "Of course! I'll do my best, taichou!" She began then to busy herself with different things.

Byakuya could only sigh as he watched not only his squad member but personal servant work around the squad division. Rikichi quickly became friends with Miko as she cheered everyone up.

"Her vibrant smile…" –thought Byakuya, "wait, what am I thinking? That is beyond preposterous!" He watched the smaller blonde run around and everyone in the division breaks into a smile. Not the rowdy type, but rather the sweet happy silent type of happiness. They were teaching her what to do, which slowly began teaching her how to use her zanpakuto with greater confidence with Renji coaching her from the sidelines. Byakuya could tell she had grown a lot despite her past. That bloodied past yet, she was smiling. What was wrong with this girl?

Everyone began smiling and joking around with her which sort of made work more enjoyable. He felt a heavy burden taken off his shoulders. He felt that the atmosphere in the squad had changed intensely. He made a faint smile towards Miko who was completely oblivious to things as always. Byakuya then remembered that he had to show her around the human world to get her used to it; luckily he had already had permission.

"Shougetsu," he called with his usual deep tone.

She quickly ran to him with a salute. "Taichou!"

He sighed. "Shougetsu, I need you to get used to your surroundings in the human world since you might be sent there a lot so, I will be showing you around there."

Miko nodded, "Okay, taichou! I'll just fix my things first." She bolted away with that usual cheerful smile; it made her so… weird. Byakuya could only watch her and sigh; it will take her awhile before she becomes more ruthless.

"I'm ready, taichou!"

He saw her with her whistle and yet, she was not used to long uniforms for the first time she took a step, she collapsed and hit her face on the floor making a good impression of being the clumsiest person on the face of the planet.

He sighed, "Miko, how long are you going to trip like a fool there?"

She raised herself to her feet right away, "Gomenasai, taichou." She dashed after him as he just simply walked slowly in his usual pace while she ran like a maddened bull.

Renji saw her run out and sighed. "That girl's got a problem in the noggin'. Someone ought to tell her not to run after Kuchiki-taichou like some deranged rodentia. Yeesh… "He brought back the paper and started signing and organizing papers.

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

Meanwhile, Miko and Byakuya were moving around the human world, though it was not expected of a noble to do so. Miko was slowly enticed by human trinkets and often ended up running into random stores in order to buy trinkets which Byakuya often ran after her or rather 'shunpo'-ed after her before she herself was the one wreaking havoc. Luckily, people did not see her so, any mayhem caused was said to be caused by the wind or something was wrong with the object. Miko had a fun time in the human world; the weird part is that how a happy go lucky girl ended up being in the same squad as the unfeeling and cold Captain Kuchiki.

However, Byakuya suddenly got a message, while they were there, hollows were running rampant and they weren't the normal yahoo hollows that you see, it was the Menos, in Adjuca level which was not a good thing. However, the bad part was that Miko was not experienced in dealing with Adjuca level arrancar. She squeaked. "Um… taichou, what do we do?"

Byakuya drew Senbonzakura calmly, "I fight them and you run for safety until you can get Shinigami reinforcement, do you understand, Shougetsu?"

She nodded and the arrancar rained in and bad enough, there were five of them striding in as if they were in a park. They were really calm about it and Byakuya was not intimidated however as soon as they saw him, they went worked up into frenzy. Byakuya dodged their hopeless attempts to attack him; however, one seemed tougher than the others.

It was a little boy who wore a sweat jacket. His eyes looked demonic and often just watched his members get slaughtered one after the other. As soon as things were almost wrapped up, the little boy stepped forward. "Hello, I'm Enrique Luciano Baltazar. I'm number 12 of the Espada; it is an honor to meet you, Kuchiki-san." Byakuya didn't look disturbed but deep down, he was, since when did Arrancar become like this? The little boy had appendages coming from his back and that, was not a good thing.

The boy had a maniacal smile and he started striking everywhere, making holes and big damages to Karakura Town. Then, as soon as the boy started cackling and having fun, he heard a command from behind.

"Curse…"

The boy turned around and saw a huge black cat appear as the command came. "Fukitsu…" The cat ran in full fury as it began to rip up every part of the young arrancar as Miko stared in horror as the black cat then after going through a gore festival became cuddly and cute again. It ran towards Miko, rubbing itself on her leg. Byakuya could only twitch at it as it turned back into its neutral form; her sword. Byakuya saw her, slightly trembling and laughing softly at her sudden victory that she thought she could not achieve. She smiled while softly laughing. "Hahaha, I did it… I did it! Yay! I did it!" She began leaping in the air for joy and Byakuya got up, watching his new recruit jump in the air with glee.

"I did it, Kuchiki-sama! I did it! I did…oh," Miko suddenly stopped as she looked at her stoic captain.

He gave her a cold look as she bowed down in shame. "I'm sorry, Kuchiki-sama. I will conduct myself properly next time." She remained silent as Byakuya made a faint smile that she didn't see once again.

"Let's go, Miko," his voice was faint and more whisper-like.

She raised her head and replied with her radiant smile. "Yes!"

She followed after Byakuya as they went on to send in their documents and reports of the arrancar attack.

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

Shana however had to stay back in the fourth division barracks. There were constant chores, such as cleaning the sewers and toilets and everything else which is like a house chore. Then, while Shana was cleaning the barrack area, some squad eleven members were being taken in and of course, like they always do, they harassed poor Isane and they were yelling at the poor girl.

"Hey, get us healed already will you!?"

"Yeah, what's taking you forever!?"

Isane stuttered, "I'm sorry. This will take awhile and…!"

However, being the ignorant brutes they were; they grabbed her hakama as one of them growled, "Who asked you!? Just get this…!"

Then, they felt a blade pressed against their backs as they saw little girl with her eyes in a deep hatred colour. She growled. "How dare you bully Isane-nee-san, would you really like to end up here or the graveyard? Be thankful she's even taking care of you." Shrinking down with embarrassment, the little girl lowered her weapon and Isane was more than terrified of lavender haired little girl.

Shana then lowered her sword and smiled. "Gomenasai, Isane-nee-chan. But, I think you should fight for yourself too!"

Isane was terrified by Shana's reiatsu for it had a different nature and it was running wild. Isane could only sigh. "Well, at least you didn't kill them here…"

Shana smiled. "Of course, I wouldn't! Hisoka-nii-sama taught me better!" Isane looked at her. "Hisoka-nii-sama? Oh yeah, Yagami Hisoka, but I wonder why nii-sama?" Shana walked around cleaning the area as Isane started tending to both their physical and mental injury. Shana had been sweeping all the hallways until she heard someone call her.

"Shana…"

She looked up and saw the generation's valedictorian, Yagami Hisoka. She squealed, "Nii-sama!" She ran towards him, squeezing him, really hard.

Hisoka put his hand on her head. "Take it easy, I'm not a plush toy."

She was smiling and he asked, "Do you know where Unohana-taichou is? I think I need something for my arm. It's getting heavy cramps."

Shana nodded, "Ara, please wait for me here!" She ran off as the silver haired boy waited for her. Then, he lifted his shirt slightly; there was a scar there as the teen said. "I better find some medicine for this keloid that I have on my gut." He walked through the hallway as he saw some traumatized Squad Eleven members.

"Shana," he smirked, "figures that they would be terrified. She's a half Quincy and Shinigami after all."

He walked in the hallway and then suddenly bumped into Hanatarou, 7th seat of the 4th Squad. He bowed, "Oh hello, Hisoka-kun."

The silver haired boy bowed, "Hello, Hanatarou-sempai."

The boy freaked out and bowed lower, "I'm sorry, Hisoka-kun! I don't deserve that kind of respect!"

Creating a very faint smile, Hisoka said, "Everyone deserves a certain degree of respect. It can't be all respect and all mockery." Hanatarou nodded as Shana came back with the cream for Hisoka's arm. She said, "Here, Hisoka-nii!"

The silver haired boy took it kindly, "Thanks. I'll be going now. I have to help taichou with his paper work."

Hisoka vanished like a phantom, like always and left Shana and Hanatarou to clean up the area.

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

Reika on the other hand was back there, doing nothing except transfer papers like always. She had been given bad stares constantly due to her reputation as the Blood Soaked Executioner Reika who cares for nothing but blood. She quietly withdrew herself constantly making Kiyone her best friend and Sentaro, a retard. Reika was having fun, making a new friend as well, Rukia Kuchiki, who had been informing her all about the human world. Reika would smile and laugh which would slowly change into sadness as she saw the people constantly glaring at her. Rukia said, "Don't mind them, Reika-chan. They just don't like new comers. They gave me the looks to when I first entered here."

Reika sighed. "Well, they wouldn't give you the looks if they knew who you were because of your reputation."

Rukia said. "Ah, don't worry. They just need time to get used to you. Other than that, you're actually a nice person, Reika."

Wondering why she hardly saw her captain, the orange haired girl asked, "How come I don't see taichou around as much?"

Rukia's face suddenly got sullen, "Well, he's kinda got a problem with his lungs and…"

"Ah, you shouldn't worry about me as much, Kuchiki-san."

They both turn around and saw Jushiro with a smile. "Well, I see you two are getting along well. I'm sorry I can't do too much."

Rukia said, "Ah, its okay, taichou. We're doing fine, really…"

Reika smiled. "Yeah, taichou. Maybe you should get some rest. Maybe I can find something for that lung problem of yours…"

Reika quickly finished her paper work as she went out to get what she was looking for.

Jushiro was in weird shock however Rukia smiled at him saying, "Well, at least she's nice."

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

Meanwhile, there was a sudden call for a captain's meeting, no one knew why but all captains went anyway. They stood in their usual line and Yamamoto in the middle of it. He announced, "Though we have the Ryoka and vizards to help us," –he cleared his throat, "that does not mean that we must slack off. Every captain should assess the strength of his or her members and report to me as soon as possible. We cannot keep standing here for the Winter War is near."

All the captains agreed to this while the old man continued. "Therefore, many hollow attacks with be dealt with by group. It is encouraged that you bring members that have not gone on to the battlefield as much."

Most of the captains exchanged glances, wondering how to deal with this. Most of their members that have not gone into the battlefield were purely cowards. Byakuya knew that Renji wasn't a problem, Miko was the problem, how was she supposed to fight again if she nearly wet her pants the last time she went on a hollow hunt? Byakuya sighed in his thoughts, "Dragging Miko out was one thing, making her fight is another."

Toushiro had second thoughts too, "Hisoka seems too experienced to be a newbie… or is it…"

"Captain Hitsugaya, I'd like a word with you for the moment."

The captains were dismissed except Hitsugaya who had a private talk with Yamamoto that time. "How is Hisoka? Does he have anything weird about him?"

Toushiro shifted his position, "Well, if you consider the fact that he can predict movements and sense the strengths of others from a ten mile radius and when they're about to strike is strange, then yes, he is."

Yamamoto gave him a direct look and question, "Did you notice the way he fights?"

Hitsugaya thought, "Yeah, he…"

"He's too experienced and the way he acts is too feminine."

Hitsugaya gave him a strange look, "I'm sorry, sou-taichou. I think I know someone who is also like that." The first thing that popped into his head was Yumichika Ayasegawa, 5th seat of Squad Eleven.

However, the old man's face remained stony. "Take this seriously, Captain Hitsugaya," –he then handed a file to him, "check the stats of this one."

When Hitsugaya opened it, there was something wrong. The one on the picture was the real Yagami Hisoka, who had been the previous captain of Squad Ten and the picture of this one looked manlier than the current 'Yagami Hisoka'. In fact, the name Yagami was his mother's maiden name. The worse part, this guy was dead, he has been long dead since the time of Shinji and his zanpakuto was the same as the current Hisoka's, Shukumei.

Hitsugaya's eyes widened with shock, "You're telling me that…!"

Yamamoto nodded, "There is something behind Yagami Hisoka. The reason why he's in your squad is because you were the one with sharp eyes and a keen mind. You always figured things out like this. Perhaps, I should leave this in your hands." Hitsugaya nodded and Yamamoto dismissed him right after.

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

Hitsugaya uneasily walked back to his division, there was something wrong here. Yagami Hisoka, this guy has been dead for years and was way older than him. The white haired captain had no clue on how to deal with this. Impersonating someone was a bad thing, especially a captain but this situation seemed different. The guy seemed experienced, but this one seemed too short and too feminine. "Alright, I'm getting confused," –thought Hitsugaya, "this double alias thing is driving me nuts. I need hot chocolate." He walked all the way back to the Squad barracks and there, he saw Matsumoto, sleeping **AGAIN** and Hisoka doing all the paper work **AGAIN**.

He cleared his throat, "Ahem."

Matsumoto woke up and Hisoka stood up calmly, "Hello, taichou."

Matsumoto quickly rose to her feet, "Ah! I'm sorry taichou! I was doing it and then…!"

Hitsugaya finished the statement, "You got bored and fell asleep again, I know," –he then explained, "we're going to have a tournament soon or a hollow hunt. There seem to be more now, more than last time as in really a lot more. Probably, if you look at it, the ratio is one to sixteen, one hollow to sixteen of us Shinigami."

Matsumoto gulped. "That's a bad thing right?"

Hisoka then spoke up, "Hitsugaya-taichou, do you have any ideas for this?"

The white haired captain sighed, "I wish I did but we're on a raw idea right now is that, every time there's a hollow attack, we send the ones that have not experienced battle with those who have so they could get the experience. Or those, with the least amount of experience that is."

Matsumoto shrugged, "I'm okay with that, but does anyone know when the next attack will be?" Then, the whole room fell silent. No one knew and Aizen, knowing how crafty he was, this thing could get out of hand. However, what were in Hitsugaya's mind were not Aizen's plans but rather about Hisoka's identity. If he's not Hisoka, who is he? Why is he hiding his identity? Where did he get his zanpakuto? Could he be another memory rosary? So many questions popped into Hitsugaya's head since he remembered so many things related to this such as when Ichigo met Senna in the Memories of Nobody, she had the zanpakuto of someone who was long dead or gone (Mirokumaru).

"Hitsugaya-taichou!"

This snapped him out of his thoughts as he turned around and saw one of the secret corps in front of him as he thought, "An A-class order?"

The member spoke, "An order from Yamamoto-sou-taichou, Kyoraku-taichou and Ukitake-taichou! There has been a sighting of three Arrancars with fraccions coming this way! All limiters have been removed and are allowed to use your zanpakuto if necessary!"

Hitsugaya nodded, "Yeah, alright. Thanks." He looked around and saw decided to bring Matsumoto, Hisoka, Hiruda and Kazuma with him. He was pretty aware of Matsumoto's abilities it was Hiruda's and Kazuma's he wasn't sure of which is why, he brought Hisoka, maybe if the battle was a little harder maybe he could reveal more things unconsciously.

Deciding on a plan that would force Hisoka's true abilities to come to light, he chose his members "Ryoumi Hiruda, Shakuhima Kazuma, Yagami Hisoka, Matsumoto Rangiku, let's go." The five followed after their captain, even though they were unsure of their opponent.

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

However, when they got there, the opponent was not exactly whom they expected. They thought, okay, it might have been a double digit arrancar but what they did not expect is to see a new Espada, number nine, Flitzwilliam Syael Jaeger. His energy felt like a Gillian's but the reason was he was hiding his reiatsu under a huge barrier of more reiatsu he had. He was actually a Vastrolorde like the others and had enough power to match up to Grimmjow and Ulquiorra. It seemed that he specialized in hiding his true energy and when the first two got on the battlefield which was Hiruda and Kazuma, they were immediately terrified. However, the squad that came to aid them was Squad Four, Unohana's division.

Flitzwilliam smiled, "Seems like you're a happy bunch. The name's Flitzwilliam Syael Jaeger by the way."

Shana looked at him queerly, "Eh, why are you here anyway? I mean, shouldn't be you rotting up as a dead corpse by now?"

He sighed as he waved his finger, "Tsk, tsk, tsk, a lady shouldn't be talking like that now, should she?"

Hisoka felt something wrong, he knew this guy was a Vastrolorde but why was his energy so puny? Hisoka looked at Shana who was waiting his orders and Hiruda and Kazuma waiting for Hitsugaya's and Hanatarou and Isane waiting for Unohana's orders though they weren't really for combat. Hisoka started doing hand signals to get Shana to help him.

Hiruda asked in her small voice, "Hitsugaya-taichou, what's Hisoka-san doing?"

He looked at Hisoka's fingers they were giving off some message that only Shana, Miko and Reika could understand.

The moment he stopped, Shana nodded. Hitsugaya didn't even get the message and neither did their other squad members nor the guy they were fighting. Flitzwilliam raised an eyebrow, "What's that? You're so nervous; your mouth has become dry?"

Hisoka smirked as he answered calmly, "No, that's not it," –he gave a very confident smirk towards him, "I think we just sealed your fate, Syael Jaeger." Hisoka darted forward followed by Shana by stringing her bow back.

"Spread, Shinijikumaru!"

"Reign in the silver skies, Shukumei!"

Shinijikumaru could fire eight hundred shots per second if only on one-fourth of its power. Hisoka had a huge wave going towards Flitzwilliam who quickly dodged it and tried to counter with a cero which came from his eyes, sort of like Superman's heat vision. Toushiro ordered, "Everyone, attack!" Hiruda and Kazuma moved in being led by Rangiku but however, were blocked by the fraccions. Isane turned to Unohana, "What now, taichou?"

"You can fight, Isane," –she told her; "I think they'll need your help. Also you, Hanatarou, I can only perform kidou since Miyazuki is not a combat zanpakuto."

They nodded as Unohana stayed behind and attacked the arrancar. Hitsugaya was attacking Flitzwilliam who had been dodging Shana's, Hisoka's and his continuous flanks. Flitzwilliam sneered, "Is that it? Is that all the captains are capable of?" Then, by accident, he grabbed Hisoka's chest which was not a good idea. The boy wished that he was really guy so he really tried his best to sustain himself from attacking like a maddened boar.

Ignoring that something was being clutched on to, Hisoka ordered, "Shana, shoot him down!"

The little lavenderette did one of her techniques, "Isenhikutoge!" (One Thousand Flying Thorns) Arrows flew into the air striking places where he was anticipated to be. Usually, her accuracy was around thirty percent, however with Hisoka and her other members, that increased to ninety five percent.

While in combat, guess who else got involved? Flitzwilliam found Arrancars Yammy and Grimmjow getting involved with squads eleven, six, thirteen and eight. Flitzwilliam demanded, "What are you two doing here? Didn't we agree to fight alone?"

Yammy growled, "I'm sorry, we got pushed here! Some wacko battle thirsty captain's going nuts!"

Grimmjow gave him a sarcastic look, "Goody, we wanted join you, after ten million years!" Six squads surrounded them and Hisoka saw the chance to deal with them easy. Miko was there, problem was, so was her master and captain, Captain Kuchiki. Shana obediently followed his orders, Jin was another one with a rebellious idea and Reika was okay with her orders as long as it wasn't suicidal but even though it did sound suicidal, she followed it anyway.

Hisoka called out, "Jin, Shana, Miko and Reika! You're with me!" The two nodded and bolted after Hisoka who had vanished from Hitsugaya's line of sight.

His captain sighed, "Here he goes again, acting on his own."

Matsumoto tapped her taichou, "But wait, look…" The captains could only look with shock though Miko was too frozen to move, Shana, Reika and Jin were all used to following Hisoka's orders. Shana fired more arrows in the air as Reika commanded, "Drive into the blackened ocean, Shukketsu Boumei-sha!"

Feeling very confident with himself, Jin brought out his hatchet axe. "Slash, Eikochouchin!"

The fraccions countered with cero however being over powered by Jin's crazy and unpredicted slashing; they knew they were trying to win a hopeless battle. The captains could only stare in shock as Hisoka led the battle without even getting rattled. Byakuya noticed Miko hasn't moved and then took this chance to combat the arrancar. The captains fought finally driving the Arrancars away including the fraccions however; they never realized that they were being watched.

Meanwhile, Aizen was watching from afar with Tousen and Ichimaru. The purple haired blind man inquired, "Aizen, how long are we going to watch?"

The leader, Aizen kept his eye on Hisoka, "Unfortunately, we might stay for awhile. Don't worry, Tousen, we'll be going in awhile."

His eyes watched Hisoka as he fought against hollows higher in combat skill. Shana, Reika and Jin obediently followed Hisoka but he was watching the thing dangling from Hisoka's neck. Aizen smirked, "The Fukurou family crest," –he let out an exasperated sigh, "I remember the son of the royal family, Fukurou Hisoka, this is definitely not him. In fact, there's something wrong in this picture…"

The short silver haired boy led a small group while the captains went against the Espada. Toushiro, Byakuya faced against Flitzwilliam, Kenpachi and Unohana against Yammy and Kyoraku and Jushiro against Grimmjow. Though the four didn't seem bothered, Miko didn't even budge and waited for Byakuya's orders. The noble looked at the blonde, "Shougetsu, I suppose you know what to do?"

The blonde trembled yet nodded weakly. "Yes, taichou."

Toushiro raised his eyebrows at the sight of Miko, "Are you sure she's going to live?"

Byakuya eyed him, "Why? Do you doubt my skills as a captain?"

"No, I doubt her skill in being able to fight."

Shana yelled, "Oi, Miko-nee-chan! Get your big butt here or I will poke it til you get here!"

Still recovering from her doubts whether or not she should follow Kuchiki-taichou, the blonde shot up while Reika called out, "Yeah, you got that black fuzz ball of a cat right?! Use it, you moron!"

Miko gulped as one of the cero blasts came at her as Byakuya parried the blast with kidou. Renji gulped, "Eh, taichou, I don't think that was a good idea."

Byakuya glared, "And why is that, Abarai?" The red head pointed at the flying little 'pink' lights that didn't look pretty. Jushiro asked, "What in the world?"

One of the fraccions, squeaked, "Well, it's a new kind of cero I came up with, I put a portion of my soul, I can split it and I can…"

Then, a huge white wave eliminated the pink lights thus inflicting a little damage. "I can defeat you and paralyse you this way," replied Hisoka's calm voice the thirteenth squad lieutenant took down the little fraccion instantly.

Hisoka glanced at Miko who finally decided to make a move. She whispered, "Curse," –the black cat came before her and she ordered, "Attack, Fukitsu!" The black cat lunged forward and drove back the Arrancars. The three knew they were overpowered but they had to do something for Aizen, and now, the man gave the signal, fall back, he had seen enough.

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

Aizen had recalled back Grimmjow, Yammy and Flitzwilliam. He smirked, "Not bad, and not bad at all… for royalty…"

Grimmjow growled, "What kind of shit is that? Royalty? I know the dumbass Kuchiki is a noble but what royalty? I just see a bunch of Shinigami with a shitty problem with you."

Flitzwilliam sighed, "Must you have a bad word in every sentence you make, Mr. Jeagerjaques?"

"Ah, shut up, Flitzy. I know what I'm saying."

Aizen smirked, "I'll tell you, once I'm sure." He walked away silently as the arrancar remained puzzled on what he said.

-That's chapter 2, please review!


	3. Encounter With The Real World

(I don't own Bleach!)

Chapter 3 – Encounter with the real world

Now that thing was settled, the captains filed in a report about each and everyone's progress in combating arrancar. They never knew that Aizen could come up with an Arrancar with several fraccions in a mere instant. His moves were getting fiercer and most of the captains knew they would be at the end of their ropes soon. The captains stood in their usual positions and Yamamoto said, "I'm sure you're very well aware of the new Arrancars he's coming up with am I right?"

They all nodded and then the Captain Commander added, "Also, as you all know, many of the hollows are getting more voracious and are starting evolve if I am not mistaken? Kurotsuchi, I am sure you have the data…"

The twelfth squad captain nodded. "Yes, I do…" Clicking a remote, there showed a load of hollows changing left and right. Kurotsuchi explained, "By eating an equivalent amount of souls, a hollow can evolve but this is very rare. However, there is a new place that allows them to gain as much energy as they need." He clicked the remote again and showed a waterfall but falling from it was not water but, spiritual energy. Kurotsuchi commented, "The Waterfall of Spirits. This is where most of the zanpakuto come from or evolve from. The zanpakuto were once human as well but due to a long time, they themselves have been suspended into an animal or a different form. However, there is a thing here that might go against that law. While most zanpakuto derive their powers from certain areas or things, there are several zanpakuto whose power is derived from places."

The image changed once more into five zanpakuto which were very similar:

"The thirteen tailed black cat of calamity and bad luck, Fukitsu Kage."

"The frilled lizard of famine, Shinijikumaru."

"The weeping willow tree of blood and exile, Shukketsu Boumei-sha. All of them, their powers are derived from hell itself."

Everyone remained silent; Kurotsuchi added, "Now, if Aizen finds this place (Waterfall of Spirits), he will have an unlimited supply of power allowing him to gain access to the King's Key, which is why he is doing things the long way."

Soi Fon quipped, "You mean by killing a million souls?"

The twelfth squad captain nodded, "Yes. That would be it."

Everyone looked at each other as they remembered the last time they created a fake Karakura town, it nearly ended up in a failure. Kenpachi growled, "Big deal, all we need to do is get the three hell beasts to mutilate the other stuff. I prefer battling the other hollows and probably Aizen and the others."

Toushiro sighed at this with a thought, "Yeesh, his motto should be 'fight now, ask later'. If we do it that way, we're going to run around in circles and then Aizen's going to get past us again."

Unohana quietly assessed, "But, if I remember reading the legends correctly, the zanpakuto that you mentioned are hard to control."

Everyone exchanged glances and Byakuya remained silent as Juushiro added, "The zanpakuto are rumoured to thrive on blood like vampires and ghouls. That alone can doom Soul Society." Then there were faint murmurs among them. Who knew how to control these things?

"However," –Kurotsuchi's voice intervened, "there is a way to control them."

He clicked the remote button again like a television remote. There stood two zanpakuto, one in a golden sheathe and the other one in a silver sheathe. Kurotsuchi stated, "The two zanpakuto of the King himself had created, Eikochouchin, the Lamp of Glory and Shukumei, the Steed of Fate."

Everyone saw the swords; one was a claymore which was Shukumei and Eikochouchin which took form of a hatchet axe. Kurotsuchi then stated, "Perhaps, these two are what suppress the others blood lust which is why… if you did notice that during your battle with the arrancar, the little girl did not go wild like she normally would."

Kyoraku would normally not listen and not talk and ask Juushiro what happened but this time he did, "Wait, didn't Shukumei belong to the former captain of squad ten, His… wait a minute…"

Everyone did realize that there was a Hisoka and he was in Hitsugaya's squad and he wielded the same weapon that the former captain did: Shukumei. Kyoraku remembered the kid very well; he was a lot younger than Hitsugaya when he graduated. He rose through the ranks after he surpassed his teachers and also, Kyoraku remembered that he equalled him in swordsmanship and equalled Tessai in kidou which is something you don't see everyday. Juushiro also then added, "But Shukumei could have chosen a new owner…"

"I don't think it would choose a commoner for an owner."

They turned to Yamamoto who explained, "In all my years as captain commander, Shukumei was only limited to the royal family of soul society. But the only son of the king was killed, if I recall correctly."

Soi Fon growled in annoyance, "This means this kid's lying. That's blasphemous in what he's doing. I will have him…"

However, the old man cut her off by turning to Toushiro, "Have you discovered anything yet, Hitsugaya?"

The young captain replied, "He fights as if he's well-experienced. Also, he seems to have a different sight on things. I'm still investigating however…"

Yamamoto nodded in approval, "However, Eikochouchin should not be a problem, in fact, this one seems to be a very new one only to be heard in legends as well. It is said that it is the one that illuminates the path to the king himself. Any other information?"

Kurotsuchi added, "Eikochouchin chooses its wielders randomly, most of them are rather violent. Shukumei however is a different matter."

Yamamoto nodded, "With all the information that has been gathered here, we can only conclude or do so much. Therefore, all squads will await my orders and those that gather new information inform all captains immediately. Dismissed." The captains then left the hallway as Toushiro turned around Byakuya grabbed him, "I need to ask you something." Toushiro didn't seem intimidated although he was weirded out on why Kuchiki-taichou needed him. So, he followed Kuchiki out the room.

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

Meanwhile, Reika, Miko, Shana and Hisoka were hanging out somewhere near the squads. Reika growled, "Where's Mr. I'm-going-to-kick-your-ass-Yagami?"

Hisoka smirked, "He's got his jobs to do. Besides," –he looked up into the sky, "I'm sure Zaraki is training the guy and running him into the ground ever since we got back."

Shana squealed, "Did you see the way Hisoka-nii beat those fraccions? There will be hell to pay if they challenge him!"

Reika laughed, "Yeah, Hisoka-nii! With the way you're fighting, everyone's going to think you're a girl!" After Reika's remark, everyone fell silent, Hisoka's eyes moved away from the sky and his expression became dark.

Realizing her mistake, Reika lowered her head, "Sorry…"

Hisoka then smiled, "It's alright. Don't mind it." He then said, "Why don't we have a little sparring session? I prefer not being caught flat footed again."

The three rose up, "Okay, Hisoka-taichou!"

The silver haired teen sighed, "Don't hold back…!" The three sprinted towards him as he drew his weapon and used its neutral form, the katana. Using the sheathe as a shield, Hisoka blocked all the attacks of the three then they heard a voice:

"Mind if I cut in?"

Hisoka flipped back and released Shukumei's true form, "Reign in the silver skies, Shukumei!" The claymore clanged with the large hatchet axe and this forced Hisoka to the ground.

Jin smirked, "Eikochouchin's so much stronger than Shukumei, and you can bet your bloody ass on it, Yagami!"

Hisoka smirked, "Don't get too cocky, Kanagura. I prefer fighting with finesse, not brawn." Flicking his writs, Eikochouchin flew in the air and Hisoka spun around and gave Jin a good roundhouse kick to the face, sending the kid flying. Miko used her staff in a graceful pattern, revealing faint humming sounds, allowing Hisoka to predict her path of attack. He quickly countered Miko's attack and then, Shana attacked him from behind; revealing an array of arrows soaring into the sky.

Hisoka cast, "The white goddess smiles, her beauty is a great sight, night shall vanish now, Hadou number four, Shield of Light." A barrier appeared and the attack was neutralized as Hisoka lunged at Miko and Reika to knock them down. The two brought out the true forms of their weapons, Miko summoned, "Curse, Fukitsu Kage!"

"Drive into the blackened ocean, Shukketsu Boumei-sha!"

Her katana changed into a scythe as her hair became a blood red color and a black cat lunged towards Hisoka as he summoned, "Sharin no Unmei!" (Wheel of Fate) He stuck his sword into the ground and then, a huge light appeared in a shape of a wheel. Miko, Reika and Shana were caught in it and Jin also got himself caught in it. Hisoka whispered, "Flash." The wheel emitted a powerful surge of reiryouku; forcing back the four instantly.

They were paralysed and Reika smiled as they were down, "We shouldn't expect less from the valedictorian of Shinigami Academy." Hisoka was the valedictorian of their batch and no one could surpass him in terms of strategy except captains. As they got up, they saw heard a clapping of hands.

"Well done," –sniggered a voice, "I shouldn't expect less then either."

They turned around and saw Ayasegawa and Ikkaku smirking at them. Jin yelled, "Hey, I told you I was coming back! What's the deal with you two!?"

Ikkaku shrugged, "Well, I've been hearing rumors about Hisoka over there and I wanted to see for myself if I can match him."

Ayasegawa smiled, "Besides, I'm sure he'll perform well, after all, he did just beat all four of you." They looked around and Hisoka didn't look the least bit intimidated by Ayasegawa and Ikkaku as they both came down.

Ikkaku smirked, "How 'bout a little spar? You and me, punk."

Thinking about how this would help his abilities expand, Hisoka gave a faint smile. "Very well, I accept. But don't expect me to hold back." Shana and the others drew to the side as the two circled each other.

Hisoka put Shukumei back into her normal form and Ikkaku came hammering him down with Hozukimaru and his staff extended several angles and the silver haired teen did get hit a couple of times. Ikkaku had a couple red marks from the butt end of Shukumei and Hisoka's kicks but that wasn't good enough to stop him.

Reika yelled, "Hisoka-nii-san! Bring out Shukumei in her true form! Ikkaku's going to floor you if you don't!" Hisoka still didn't bring out Shukumei and eyed Ikkaku's foot work carefully.

Ayasegawa wondered, "I wonder what he's doing."

Jin then remembered, "Oh yeah, sorry for late intro. Reika, Miko, Shana, Hisoka, meet Ayasegawa and Ikkaku. Ayasegawa, Ikkaku, my friends." The six said their hellos but Ikkaku was more focused on the battle as he charged in to knock down Hisoka once more.

"_Mistress, you must release me! Hozukimaru is serious in killing you!" _Shukumei called out in horror.

Hisoka thought, "Don't worry, I already have a plan, Shukumei. Just give me a little more time."

Ikkaku's extendable staff hit all angles and inflicted damage in the least expected of places and some even swept Hisoka off his feet. Finally, the silver haired teen saw his chance, he focused on the staff's pattern and wound it around his sword and managed to kick Ikkaku's face. The bald third seat flew far (Ikkaku: I'm not bald! Me: Yes you are, don't delude yourself! If you want hair buy hair growing formula or ask Kurotsuchi to make some for you!) But managed to land back on his feet and got ready to charge at Hisoka.

"Having fun, Ikkaku?"

They saw Tetsuzaemon Iba, with his arms folded and he smirked, "Hell this kid can dish out damage but he's got a long way to go."

The seventh squad lieutenant bowed, "Please excuse them, squad eleven is known to pick spars with almost anyone."

Ikkaku sighed, "Well, I'm going," –he turned around and asked, "Hey kid, what's your whole name?"

"Yagami. Yagami Hisoka," the boy answered.

Ikkaku smirked, "You got game, Yagami. We'll meet again sometime." The two walked away as Ikkaku called, "Oi, Jin. You got paper work to do."

The brunette nodded, "Yeah, sure."

When they left, Hisoka asked, "What's the point in asking those two to come, Jin?"

The brunette replied sheepishly, "Well, uh, I just wanted to see how you would match up to the more experienced people. Oh well, gotta go, bye!"

Leaving almost immediately, Shana groaned, "I think he just wanted to see you lose."

Hisoka snickered, "No. Jin's just being his usual self; he would never stoop that low anyhow."

The three nodded as Hisoka said, "Okay, we better head back. Remember, loyalty to Soul Society is one thing. Being blindly obedient is another."

They nodded and left.

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

Hisoka got back to Squad Ten where Hitsugaya-taichou and Matsumoto-fuku-taichou were staying. When he opened the door, Matsumoto was whining because of too much paper work while Hitsugaya was trying to get her to do it. Hisoka saw the pile of paper work and there was a lot. There was no way in hell that someone would be able to finish the pile in a night. Hisoka then got one half of Matsumoto's and half of Hitsugaya's and did it himself. Matsumoto squealed, "Thank you, Hisoka! You're a life saver!"

Hitsugaya smirked, "Normally, people would rather die than do all this paper work."

Hisoka then replied, "Well, we better do this quickly unless we want to spend the rest of our lives here finishing this." Hitsugaya snickered and went back to work.

Matsumoto asked, "Ne, Hisoka. Wanna go out? I'm hungry!"

The silver haired teen shrugged, "Well, maybe after we finish this."

Matsumoto's head dropped on the desk and whined, "Waaah."

Toushiro sighed with a thought, "Well, at least he's hardworking and he keeps his mind to it. Maybe I should make him lieutenant instead… but, Matsumoto's been doing a lot more than just trying to live through paper work. She's been loyal for as long as I remember." He watched Matsumoto and Hisoka work at it and then, Momo came in:

"Hey Shiroooo-chaaaaaaan!"

Hitsugaya held his temper, "For umpteenth time, bed wetter. Never call me that again! The only time you can call me that is when I die!" To that comment, Momo gave him an innocent smile, "Aw, Shiro-chan, don't say things like that," –she then turned to Hisoka, "Hi Hisoka-kun!"

The silver haired boy smiled, "Um… Hi, Hinamori-chan."

She smiled, "Aw, you're sweet, compared to Shiro-chan that is."

Toushiro sighed as Momo took the finished papers and said, "I'll take these for you. I think your lieutenant is sleeping like a log now."

Hitsugaya saw Matsumoto drooling and her face flat on the table. He walked over to her desk and said, "Oh well, looks like we might as well throw this bottle of sake away..."

Before he could finish his statement, Matsumoto jumped up, "Where? Where? Where's the sake???"

Hitsugaya shrugged, "See? Told you she would wake up." Momo laughed and Hisoka nearly made a girly giggle but then smirked instead.

Matsumoto whined, "Taichou, you're mean."

Hitsugaya shrugged, "Got any better idea to wake you up?"

Knowing that there was no other way, Matsumoto made a pout face and went on working again.

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

Back at squad six, Miko had a fun time talking with Renji as he showed her where to put things and when she accidentally entered the men's bathroom and Rikichi was answering to his call of nature. Miko currently had no clue on how to deal with things like this. Byakuya always remained as quiet and as stoic as ever. He watched Miko socialize with the others with ease and she was having quite a time.

"Shougetsu," –he thought, "That girl's so naïve I guess it's no wonder Renji and the others can easily talk to her."

The blonde was handling papers and then, Byakuya saw the clock; the clan was expecting him back home. "Shougetsu," –rang his usual commanding voice as the blonde haired girl spun around, "Perhaps we should head back to the Kuchiki house for the time being, there are some things to be done."

Miko then nodded, "Okay, Kuchiki-sama." He then watched her figure fade; it was like watching a little firefly die out as he remembered his talk between him and Hitsugaya:

(Flashback)

Byakuya and Hitsugaya took a small walk as he began, "Are you sure that your new recruit is not lying?"

The white haired captain asked, "Lying about what?"

Byakuya gave him a definite answer, "His identity. If I remember correctly with what sou-taichou said, the fact that he wields Shukumei, one of the king's zanpakuto is already strange for a boy like him. The fact he knew how to face Arrancars in combat is another strange thing. He ordered Shana, Reika and Jin as if they were his subordinates and like members, they followed him. He was taught by a captain, that… I am sure of."

Hitsugaya shrugged, "Maybe the guy just has a lot of charisma. But you do have a point; he cannot just gain all that experience. He's actually younger than me by a few years and he graduated faster than me."

"Somewhat like Ichimaru?"

Hitsugaya bristled at the traitor's name, "Maybe. But I don't like associating my members with such a traitor."

Byakuya nodded with a smirk, "I guess. However, I do suggest that you monitor this boy well. I'm monitoring Miko although she doesn't seem the type to go on a bloodlust mode."

Hitsugaya quoted, "Expect the unexpected, I learned this after I realized Aizen was a traitor."

(Flashback end)

Byakuya watched Miko follow him with a big and naïve smile as always. Hasn't she realized what an idiot she's been? Miko was just too kind to others and often, her opponents would take advantage of that. He hated it when she was so kind yet, he found that quite comforting. That's probably why she was better off in a team with hot tempered people. Rather, she was under Hisoka's command during that battle between them and the arrancar. Hisoka did have qualities of a leader, the boy probably knew that and that is why, he only instructed Jin, Shana and Reika because they were all specialists as melee attackers. Byakuya was more than just intrigued about the boy's identity; the curiosity was really biting him.

He was definitely sure that no one knew this Yagami Hisoka's real identity. Not even Miko knew what he really was. Hisoka to her was a great captain and leader whom she would love to follow without question. As the nobleman noticed, the four didn't question his opinion. The way they battled was like they were telepathic. Jin didn't go wild and neither Reika nor Shana, Miko hesitated for awhile but he thought, "What if I wasn't there on the battlefield? What would happen if I simply left her there with Hisoka and the others?"

"Perhaps she would release more of her power," silently thought Byakuya, "Miko seems too strong for her own good. She was given a kind heart yet the powers of hell have been granted to her. What kind of controversy is that?" Byakuya continued to ponder as he noticed Miko tapping his shoulder. "Is something wrong, Kuchiki-sama?"

He spun around to meet the blonde, "No, not at all, Miko," –his face remained calm, "I was just thinking of something." Miko quietly followed after him as Fukitsu called her master.

"_Lady Miko, your master is in deep doubt," _replied the black cat.

"But for what reason, Fuki-chan?" Miko thought.

"_I do not know, perhaps it is concerning this 'Hisoka' perhaps we should fight him tonight and whatever progress we make can be reported," –_Fukitsu added, "_also it will ease Kuchiki-san's curiosity at the least."_

"Good idea, Fuki-chan, so how do we do it?"

"_I leave that to you, mistress. And for the umpteenth time, Fuki-chan is not my name."_

Miko laughed silently at Fukitsu's protests and followed after Byakuya. The nobleman noticed Miko's sudden change in demeanor. Not that she was sad to begin with but rather, she was more relaxed unlike the times she spent in the squad barracks. In the barracks, she often fidgeted; resulting into her naïve nature that everyone knew and of course, gaining their friendship. Because he was deep in thought, he never realized that he was already in front of the Kuchiki house. Miko tapped his shoulder, "Kuchiki-sama, we're already home."

Byakuya snapped out of his thoughts, "Yes. Shougetsu, I trust you know what to do once you set foot into this house."

She nodded as she went away to tend to her normal household duties while he had research to do. He then looked at the records back at the Kuchiki library and began his research. This research took forever as he scanned everything until he finally hit the nail on the head. He found a burnt picture of one of the noble families and scribbled behind it was:

"_Press on forward, don't look back."_

This obviously meant something but what? He saw the crest around the little girl's neck and there he saw some childish scribbling written all over it.

"_I won't lose, for your sake brother I will not lose."_

Those words were clearly meant for the former commander. But, the little girl in the photo looked so damn familiar he could've sworn he saw her somewhere. Then, he remembered something, the battle between them and the arrancar. One of the arrancar had grabbed Hisoka's chest and he couldn't believe what he was thinking. Hisoka? A girl? That seemed…

"_Correct, Byakuya-kun," _–sweetly sang a voice while interfering with his thoughts_, "in fact, I can tell you who she really is."_

Byakuya's eyes widened for one of those few rare moments, "Alright, fire away, who is she?"

"_Best we protect her, Byakuya-kun. She's a crucial part in the Winter War, one false move will get her killed."_

"Please stop talking indirectly and give me her identity," demanded a very curious Byakuya.

Sighing inwardly towards herself, Senbonzakura revealed the truth, "_Her true name is Fukurou Diva, heiress of the Fukurou family…_"

Byakuya could only add, "One of very powerful noble descent and not just any descent. What in the world is she doing out here?"

Senbonzakura replied meekly, "_I do not know everything, Byakuya-kun,_" –she added with a weak smile, "_but, perhaps, we should observe awhile longer before something goes wrong. The fact that she has left her sanctuary means there's something here that we don't see. Something that she might be able to help us with. Perhaps, even more help than Kurosaki._"

Byakuya stood up; he knew that Miko probably knew nothing. Being as oblivious as she was, the poor girl didn't understand many things and he was wondering how even Hisoka or rather, Diva managed to put up with it. He thought, "I guess the other three would have more information then I would."

Standing up, he called out, "Shougetsu, we're going for a walk."

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

Shana on the other hand was doing her usual chores. She swept the floors and often thought of what would happen next. She remembered the last battle in where Miko didn't do exactly anything. She knew that Miko was not really suited for offensive combat and neither was she suited for close range, which is where Reika, Hisoka and Jin came in. She wished she was stronger but there was no way for her to even beat Jin in close combat. Even though she exceeded him in academics, in application, he beat her.

She wanted to become stronger which is why Hisoka created a sub division among the Gotei 13. It was called the Execution Squad. Hisoka called it that because his initial goal was to find the man who killed his brother. Shana quickly signed up for the ranks with Jin and Reika and despite Miko's reluctance, she joined anyway. The Quincy-Shinigami then sat down, contemplating on her thoughts: how will she get stronger?

She was feeling awfully random at the moment. She then stood up and went for a walk outside since she had to do grocery for this week. She of course left a note at her desk, stating her sudden disappearance like she usually did with the gang. As she went out, she saw Reika hanging around the Squad Four area.

"Err… is there anyone home?"

Shana's ears perked up, "Reika-chan!" Running towards the tangerine haired girl, she pounced forward like a lion; knocking her over instantly.

"Ow," –weakly replied Reika, "you're not a bulldozer you know, watch it."

"Gomen," –smiling innocently, Shana helped her up, "whatcha doin'?"

Reika let out a sigh. "You never learn, do you," –brushing her hair back and forth, the tangerine haired Shinigami looked around, "say, where's fuku taichou-san? I mean, Kotetsu-san. After all, she is the lieutenant here right?"

Nodding earnestly, Shana replied with utmost cheer. "Well, she's with captain Unohana; I'm left here with the third seat who does nothing but mumble to himself. I mean, I thought Jin was crazy but after this guy, I've seen all."

Laughing softly while maintaining her low volume, she whispered. "Maybe you should go out for awhile, unless you want to stay in here and listen to Sir MumbleALot all day…"

It didn't take long for Shana to change her mind of staying in the squad barracks. "Alright! Let's go get sushi!"

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

Walking calmly with his captain, Hisoka and Toushiro decided to leave the last bit of paper work to Matsumoto, who wasn't the least bit willing but after promising three bottles of sake, that kinda changed everything. They both knew one thing: the strawberry blonde haired fuku taichou was more than willing to get things done if it means a bottle of sake. Feeling a weird sense in the air, Hisoka was prepared to draw out Shukumei any minute now. "It's alright," broke a firm voice.

"Huh?"

Looking at his white haired tensai of a taichou, Toushiro made his words clear. "There's nothing here. I don't think Aizen would be that brainless to send in a couple of hollows while the captains are on patrol duty," –however, that was a fraud at his end but Toushiro also had his doubts about Hisoka and dealing with it, would be the best thing to do, "Hisoka, do you have a brother?"

Puzzled by the question, Hisoka's reply came smoothly. "I don't understand. What does that have to do with anything?"

"Is it bad to ask," came a quizzical reply from the captain.

Smirking while looking away, a bitter smile curved at his lips. "I did…until," –his sentence did not continue, the last part then became inaudible.

"Until?" questioned the captain, "you should learn how to trust others. Like now, you don't have Shana, Miko and the others to talk to."

"This sounds like," –clearing his throat, Hisoka thought his words through carefully, "you're implying that I'm hiding something."

Intending to make it nice and easy, Hitsugaya exhaled. "It's rather something that the other captains think."

"Nice try," a smirk forming at Hisoka's face, "I don't fall for that kind of thing."

Utterly shocked that Hisoka knew how to escape an interrogation with a level state of mind, he then decided to make a little game. "Tell you what," –he smiled confidently, "if I manage to disarm you more than once, you will answer my questions without any resistance."

Seeing where this was going, Hisoka raised his eyebrows while holding to his composure. "Taichou, I'm not that brainless. I know that I cannot match a captain's calibre yet. But with all due respect, Hitsugaya-taichou," –his eyes focused on the emerald green ones, "I do not intend to tell you anything of the sort you think I have info on. I don't have that kind of info."

Sensing the seriousness and formality despite the honorific tone, Hitsugaya smiled. "So, shall we have our little game? It's been awhile since I've gone against a tensai like myself."

Left with no other choice but to face his captain, Hisoka nodded but with a very stone expression. "I never fight with the intention to lose."

Eyeing each other's movement, their hands slowly move to their hilt with sweat pouring down the sides of their face. The tension in the air changed; marking their battle by starting off with their famous flash step movement. Steel clanged into the silent night; having the moon glint on each of their blades and in their eyes.

The battle proved to be brutal for both fighters; Hisoka was proved to have been lying. Moving instantaneously with afterimages following after him, this confused the 10th squad captain and allowed Hisoka to disarm him once. However, quickly recovering his sword, Hitsugaya repelled the techniques of Hisoka with ease; disarming him once as well. Blocking his attacks, Hisoka spun in a circle allowing him to create a small vacuum that propelled all the attacks towards any direction he desired. (A/N: Sounds familiar, ne? Yes! I am a fan of Prince of Tennis.)

Realizing how useless projectiles would be in the situation at that point, Hitsugaya chose to move in close range. Driving his sword from different angles, Hitsugaya forced Hisoka's stamina to deplete at a faster rate. Seeing his chance, Hitsugaya chose to use Hyourinmaru's full power at that point. What Hisoka didn't notice was the moon chain locked itself on his left leg. Realizing it too late, the silver haired teen pulled his leg back to force down Hitsugaya only to trip and have the captain land on him instead.

The two stared at each other in silence; not knowing how to react. However, now he knew there were reasons for doubting. Hisoka could actually be what he thought he was.

"Taichou, you've been staring at the void for hours," –he included tapping his shoulder, "are you sure you want to have the rumour running around that you might be gay?"

Jerking up, Hitsugaya scrambled himself to his feet. "No thanks. It doesn't take a rocket genius to figure that out."

Rising to their feet, Hisoka sighed. "You seem a little desperate for this so," –he smiled with a serene look, "yes, I did have a brother until he was killed. I don't know by who or why but, your efforts deserve at least that much. After all, you did trap me twice."

Smiling inwardly to himself, a hell moth then decided to approach Hitsugaya. "You are called by sou-taichou. All captains are required to attend. Meanwhile, the other Shinigami will head home and await their captains' orders. That is all, captains please report in immediately."

Giving Hisoka a glance, the teen understood what it meant. Vanishing almost immediately, Hisoka headed towards the barracks to get some sleep.

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

Now being allowed to act more like himself, Hisoka let out a sigh in relief. "He nearly caught me. I guess my acting skills are getting rusty."

The silver haired teen moved on but sensed maliciousness in the air. If it was one thing he was gifted with, it was Insight and Clairvoyance. Both these skills worked hand in hand, making him one of the most feared opponents but no one knew he had that kind of ability. After all, not many knew who the princess of Soul Society was except Reika and Shana.

"It's not that I distrust Miko and Jin," –thought a hesitant Hisoka, "it's just… I don't think Jin's going to care and Kuchiki-taichou will have me sent back there but I'll just end up here again. The least they know is that I'm a girl and that's that. Miko, Shana and Reika know that I'm a girl but Jin, I think he'll keel over in shock first."

Feeling the ominous presence in the wind, Hisoka quickened his pace; hoping to track down the presence while he was it.

"It has been awhile, Shukumei-hime-sama," responded a coy yet malicious voice.

Bolting around, the zanpakuto told her master. _"Mistress, it's not who you think it is!"_

"I know," –letting out a breath of regret, Hisoka faced his pursuer without being rattled, "You're definitely not Shougetsu. But, nice try in trying to cloak your presence though, Fukitsu."

"How you managed to maintain your composure," smiled the blonde who was clearly not herself while appearing to her sempai, "is definitely beyond me. You have a poker face that could scare anyone away. But, I can tell who you truly are, Diva-hime. You're afraid. Afraid to admit you are weak, so, you cling on to Shukumei while keeping a regulated attitude. I must admit, I'm impressed by your acting."

Remaining calm and poker faced, Hisoka made no denial. "Yes, I know. I'm not who everyone thinks I am. But," –he took a step towards Fukitsu; drawing his hand away from his sword, "what makes you think that you can defeat me when you know you can only last so long in taking over Shougetsu-san's mind? The acting part I admit, the scared part? Are you sure that it is fear that's holding me back?"

"Are you not afraid to get others hurt for your expense, Diva-sama?" came a direct question from the black cat.

"Hn," –came Hisoka's dark reply, "don't assume anything just yet. I will get stronger; even without being tempted by Aizen himself."

Moving away, his eyes remained dark and cold but the black cat stalked after him.

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

The next day, Hisoka did his usual duty in reporting for work. However, what Fukitsu remained in his mind. Looking at himself in the mirror, the question once again rang in his head.

"_Are you not afraid to get others hurt for your expense, Diva-sama?"_

Fukitsu had addressed him with his true name or rather, hers. She had constantly kept up her male cold façade to make sure no one knew about her identity, not even her taichou had a clue about it. What hurt her more was the question: Was she really just afraid to get people hurt or afraid to let go off her brother?

"No," –dismissing the doubt immediately, she remained firm on her decision, "I will keep this façade until I can face them with my head up high. For the pride of my family and myself, I will not falter now."

Laying the papers down on her desk, Shukumei questioned. "Are you still troubled by Fukitsu? I will punish her severely if she dares cause any more trouble for you."

A small smile curved on her face, Diva then reassured while replying in her usual stoic male voice. "I'm fine; I just have an awful feeling that something's going to happen."

As if her thoughts were somewhat heard, barging into the squad barracks was a lower ranked officer. "Prepare for battle! Aizen has begun the second part of the invasion!"

-That's chapter 3! Hope you like it! :) R&R


	4. Royalty

(I don't own Bleach!)

Chapter 4 – Royalty

Bringing Shukumei with him, Hisoka rushed out of the squad barracks while as the less experienced member started running wildly all over the place. Looking for his taichou, he assessed that he heard about the situation way ahead of his. Maintaining his male façade, he silenced everyone with his cold, strict voice. "Settle down."

The entire squad suddenly stopped and looked at his. Matsumoto and Hitsugaya weren't there; looks like he was next in line for commanding them.

His face remained impassive; making sure his male façade was the only one seen. "Alright, since our taichou isn't here," –he exchanged glances with the others, "we might as well think this situation through. The fact that this is a second attack doesn't mean that we're going to lose. We could move in groups."

One of the members spoke up. "Wait, who elected you leader?"

At the remark, his eyes remained glacial. "Do you have any better idea how to get the situation done?"

With this reply, it silenced the members and Hiruda spoke up for his. "Hisoka-sempai has proved himself to be an excellent tactician. The fact that," –he trembled in front of the sea of faces, "he managed to face an arrancar without being rattled proves how experienced he is."

The silverette's eyes focused on Hiruda's; facing his teammates once more. "Who else is a seated officer here?"

A few raised their hands; seeing this, Hisoka knew that there were more inexperienced Shinigami than experienced. "Does everyone know how to release their zanpakuto completely?"

Again, they exchanged glances; this proved another fact that most of them were new recruits. Letting out an exasperated sigh, Hisoka appointed the fourth seat, fifth seat, sixth seat and seventh seat to lead four other groups while he himself led one. "Alright, I will divide each of us into five teams. Each team will be asked to confront a hollow and destroy it as efficiently as possible. Fourth, fifth team, I will lead you. The sixth and seventh will stay on standby until I shoot a flare kidou into the air. Are there any questions?"

Hearing no response from the team, Hisoka commanded. "Ikuze, Ryoumi, Shakuhima!"

"Roger, Yagami-sempai!"

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

Getting Ryoumi and Shakuhima to follow his, Hisoka finally made his way towards the situation. Shakuhima was known for his assault expertise while Ryoumi was rather the defensive type. Hisoka knew he could put his team members into their teams to balance out the offensive and defensive capability of both teams. He had his own team to command and they were out there but, the safety of his own teammates came first.

Finding three hollows, Hisoka gave his orders. "Team Shakuhima, take the one on the left tower! Team Ryoumi; take the one at the second right avenue! Team Yagami will take the one in front of us!"

The two nodded; entrusting their lives in Hisoka's strategy. Though they were quite terrified, not having ever led a team once in their life time somehow, Hisoka had just raised their chances of living by thirty percent.

"Let's go!" rang Hisoka's male voice into the air.

The teams darted forward; quickly disposing of whatever the hollows had in store for them. Having anticipated the weaknesses of the hollows, this made the battle ten times easier than it should have been. Hisoka had proved himself wrong once again; he was fighting at a captain's calibre without even realizing it. Seeing that the fourth team would need help sooner or later, he fired a blue kidou flare; signalling the sixth team to aid the fourth team led by Ryoumi Hiruda.

From afar, the team saw the flare; also deciding to trust Hisoka, the sixth seat, Hikigetsu Seiken rushed in; while the seventh team waited for Hisoka's signal. Though they knew he wasn't captain, little did they know that they were in for the biggest surprise of their lives.

Not even suffering from a single fatality, Hisoka's team managed to make their way through the fight. None of the members were killed but some had small cuts and bruises which were easily mendable. "Anyone need to retreat?"

The members checked each others as a small voice piped up. "Nothing too severe. We'll manage."

Smiling faintly at the situation, Hisoka looked towards the towers where he was certain Matsumoto and Hitsugaya were. Setting ablaze the red kidou flare, he ordered the others members. "Everyone, follow that huge ice dragon! I want you to lend as much aid as you can. Fourth Seat Shakuhima Kazuma, I leave them in your hands. If you encounter a Vastrolorde, do not try to defeat it. Leave it to the higher ranked officers like lieutenants, understand?"

"Hai, Yagami-sempai!"

Without further ado, Hisoka split the teams into their respective groups and went off to another direction allowing Squad Ten to disperse and defeat whatever hollows there was.

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

Leaving squad ten in the hands of the fourth seat, his friends then met up with him; Shana, Miko, Reika and Jin respectively.

"What took ya so long," –growled a very impatient brunette, "I nearly ate my socks waiting for you!"

Smirking with his usual confidence, Hisoka (a.k.a. Diva) gave him one of his usual stoic looks. "You're the one who made yourself impatient. I hear socks don't taste very good, Kanagura."

Upon feeling the heavy reiatsu, Miko gulped. "Yagami-taichou," –she pointed afar, "I don't think you're going to like what you're about to see."

Pondering over Miko's sentence, the silverette looked up; only to see a huge cloud of smoke ascending into the air. "Smoke is never a sign of good things," –quickening the pace, the silverette commanded, "everyone, flash step!"

Despite them being lower ranked, they quickly kept up with Hisoka's Ginneipo (Phantom Step) and then found what the silver smoke was emanating from: on the floor was, Captain Komamura, Captain Shuusuke Amagai and Acting Captain Shuuhei Hisagi soundly defeated by Ichimaru, Tousen and Aizen without any problems.

"This," –drawing out his hatchet axe with pure excitement, Jin grinned maniacally, "is where the fun really begins!"

Whimpering softly, Miko's hands trembled while they held her staff while the other two raised their weapons with no questions.

"My, my, my," –smiled a very cocky Aizen, "I wonder what dragged you all the way out here, Yagami-san. No, or should I say, Fukurou-sama?"

The grip of his teammates tightened but the silverette remained unrattled. "I don't understand what caused you to start this insanity but," –pointing to the squad eleven fifth seat, he smiled sadistically with his silver orbs emitting a serious dark aura, "I think Kanagura would be more than happy to massacre you."

Staring into the silver orbs of the Shinigami, Aizen watched him with a smile. "Do you really think that he can beat me? He is only a fifth seat and my zanpakuto will surpass his zanpakuto's power without even putting much effort; he will end up like those fools over there," referring to the three unconscious Shinigami at the side.

"Oh," –taking a glance at the bodies, Hisoka's sadistic attitude continued to talk, "do you think he's gonna care? I might as well prepare for your funeral, Aizen."

Ichimaru grinned foxily. "Don't be so sure, Yagami-san," slowly bringing out Shinsou, Ichimaru's yellow cat like eyes popped open, "Kanagura's rather a headstrong fool, don't you think so?"

Smirking in arrogance, a charmed smile curved at his lips. "That's why," –brushing back his air towards his ear, he snapped his fingers, "Kanagura's the best opponent for Aizen, ne? After all, illusions don't really bother him and neither does hypnosis. The only thing hypnosis does for him is that it drives him to fighter harder in battle; not make him delusional like these captains over here."

Without even a warning signal, Jin struck; taking Hisoka's snapping as a signal to kill Aizen while Reika made her way to Tousen. Equally parrying Ichimaru's attacks, Hisoka dodged them; as well as reciprocated the same force they emitted every time it made a thrust. At first, Aizen had the upper hand until Jin chose to close his eyes and fight by instinct. He let his sword guide him, his ears and his sense of smell were enhanced but Aizen deluded him once more; using Kyouka Suigetsu to shriek into the highly amplified hearing ability of Jin, causing him to slump to the floor in defeat.

Aizen was the only thing the five considered a threat compared to the other two. Tousen was soundly defeated by Reika's impeccable senses. The fact that she could listen to the ground for the next attack, Suzumushi didn't bother one bit. Though it cut out most of her senses, by controlling the flow of reiatsu; Reika revealed why she was number two in the Academy: her impeccable reiatsu and reiryouku control overrode all her flaws in strategy-making which is why she was number two.

Miko on the other hand had weaker physical capabilities and was rather a defensive style player. She knew supportive kidou and it was quite the surprise that she ended up in Kuchiki's squad rather than Unohana's. Despite the raging reiatsu that somewhat made her a force to reckon with, the fact that she was constantly terrified to even lift a finger against her opponent is what made her number four. She was also a smart girl only to have a pretty low self-esteem but a cheerful and naïve attitude. Her partner in crime, Shana Hoshikaze was rather a different matter. She was not exactly what you call hardworking or lazy. She just had very little motivation but if someone hurts someone close to her, they will need their graves ready.

"Do you really think," –smirking, Aizen had the Hogyoku in his hand, "you can surpass me with what you have now?"

"Eh~? What do ya mean?" –moving quicker towards him, Jin made another attempt to slice his arm off, "I'm powerful as is! Don't tempt me, ya loaded jackass!"

"But," –casting a sideward glance to the silverette, Aizen quipped, "aren't you jealous on how powerful Yagami-kun is?"

Feeling a wave of doubt hit him, Jin stopped in his tracks. Was he jealous or was he just being himself? Though, this is what made him number five: he never gave importance to matters like that. Raising his hatchet axe once more, Jin spun with a circular dance. "Screw ya brain, Aizen! Mebbe that's why everyone wants ya sorry ass grilled to the ground!"

Despite his trash talking and hard façade, Jin could also be a very kind person but, not very many people saw through that. What made him scary was his motto: 'Kill now, ask later'.

"Your trash talking is rather," –mockingly checking his nails, Aizen sniggered in response, "unnerving actually."

This didn't help soothe Jin's annoyance with Aizen rather; it made it even a bigger issue. "Bankai."

Now this shocked the former fifth squad captain, Jin was only fourth seat; how could he have mastered that much power in such a short period of time?

Somehow reading his thoughts, Jin rebuked him. "It took me awhile before I got the hang of it."

Seeing what stood in front of him, gold bracers and armor surrounded Jin's body. His hatchet axe was a lot larger now; with a huge grin forming at Jin's face. "I've definitely kicked your ass. It's called overthrowing, ya numbskull."

In attempt to stop him, Aizen prepared to release the full power of Kyouka Suigetsu until, Ichimaru was sent flying. Everyone saw white silver-lined feathers go past them when they saw the figure at the back. Hisoka's silver eyes flashed coldly. "You'll have to do more than that to get past me," –sheathing his blade, Hisoka bowed apologetically, "but, I do applaud your effort in trying to take me down."

Shukumei was in her full glory; the claymore with silver runes scribbled all over the blade and glinting from the light of the sun. "This battle has been decided."

Miko had Fukitsu standing next to her while Hisoka's teammates stood in awe of the shining claymore. "Shukumei… The steed of fate."

Lowering his gaze, Aizen then began laughing softly which then became louder. "What amazing power you have, yet," –his expression formed a snigger, "you haven't achieved bankai yet."

"I don't need to," –replied a very stoic Hisoka, "the fact that Ichimaru could no longer parry me despite my limiters proves that I don't need to master bankai to force you to the ground."

Sniggering at Aizen, Jin pointed out. "Do you know why we made him leader?"

"It wasn't because he was just popular," –added the tangerine haired Shinigami, "we made him leader for several reasons: one, he never abandons his teammates."

"Two: he never let's his guard down, he always," –smiled a very supportive Miko, "helped us and his performance as a Shinigami exceeded ours."

With this, Shana concluded. "Therefore, the third and fourth reasons are: he's a tensai and one of the less snobbier ones too, the fourth reason is he chose to let us rise in the ranks with him!"

Jin raised his axe above Aizen's head. "The fifth reason is: We all swore that someday that,"

"WE WILL SURPASS HIM!"

Eikochouchin hit the ground with Fukitsu running wild and arrows coming down like rain. Reika flung her scythe like a boomerang and all they needed Hisoka to do was throw a glance. "Kesshite kibou wo utte haikenai." (If my Japanese is wrong, please help me correct it, I used translator or if you have any site to suggest please let me know. The statement by the way means 'Never lose hope'.)

There was a small silver light which then emitted a huge explosion from afar; catching the attention of every Shinigami nearby.

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

Yamamoto had already sensed this but; what he didn't expect was that his powers would come out early. The silver haired tensai was of noble descent after Kuchiki's research but there was something wrong with the picture for the king was known only to have a son.

There was something about this boy that made him very distinct and similar to the former captain at the same time.

The captains were also in deep doubt of the boy; clearly knowing the same facts that Yamamoto had stated. His power surpassed every one of the students and made him eligible for captain's rank. Somehow, he was able to conceal his powers and make them seem like a normal Shinigami's reiatsu level; making him a third seat. Looking through the test papers of Yagami Hisoka, Yamamoto was impressed by his academic ability always scoring the highest in every test. However, after looking through the application tests; it was proven that the boy withheld his abilities on purpose, concealing the true nature of his zanpakuto.

"What if," –gaining the attention of everyone in the room, Kurotsuchi made a bold statement, "the king has a child we do not have records of?"

Silence wafted into the room, gaining everyone's thoughts about it. Most said it would be preposterous but also possible that his highness had a second son. Turning to Hitsugaya, Yamamoto inquired. "How is the investigation so far?"

"Nothing suspicious yet," –letting out a sigh, Hitsugaya added, "he managed to go through the interrogation with a clear head. The only thing I got out of him is that he had a brother who was killed."

For Yamamoto, that was good enough information to land an identity on the Shinigami. "Everyone knows about Fukurou Hisoka, am I right?"

Exchanging glances with faint murmurs, the captains nodded. "No one knows what his middle name now, right?"

This is where Kyoraku's seniority as a captain kicked in. "Yagami…"

Shifting their glance to Kyoraku and then to their sou-taichou, the captains were in deep shock. Kuchiki nodded. "It is possible he's simply borrowing the name."

"No," –rang a strict voice, "in doing so would mean death penalty, whether or not you're noble descent or royalty. As you said, Captain Kuchiki, he is of noble descent. The queen or rather; the mother of Fukurou Hisoka, Queen Sakuya was once a commoner and her name before she married was, as everyone now knows: Yagami. The photo," –beckoning Kurotsuchi to show it as a hologram, Yamamoto pointed it out at the picture, "you showed us shows that there was a child after him. Not many people knew about her however but now, we have concrete proof of Captain Fukurou's death and presence of the last heir to the throne."

Hitsugaya's eyes widened. "You mean…?"

Everyone could only stare in shock as the realization hit them in the form of Yamamoto's voice. "Yagami Hisoka, is not who we thought he was. He is indeed of royal blood or rather, she."

Before her real identity could come out, a Shinigami bolted in to report. "Sou-taichou! Aizen's made his way here! Five Shinigami managed to stall him though."

Ending the meeting, the captains went to report to the front lines.

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

The first place they headed for was where the silver light was being emitted. Dust cleared as the four of the other members of the group that had stalled them gasped in shock while Aizen had a wide sneer written all over his face. "Behold, the last heir to the throne. One who impersonated her brother to exact vengeance on his killer, the last hope of Soul Society lies in front of you now: Fukurou Diva, princess of Soul Society. The last and true heiress to the throne also known as," –his eyes focused on her body, "the Exiled Princess."

Jin gulped. "What?"

Miko, Reika and Shana weren't too surprised but the royalty part is what caught Jin off guard. All this time, he had been dissing off the princess and she seemed to dismiss it as if it were nothing.

A faint and bitter smile formed at the leader's lips. "Yes. What you say is true however," –rising to her feet despite her torn up condition, Diva raised Shukumei, "now that you have revealed my true self to everyone here. I will no longer hold back."

Her real reiatsu streamed all over the place, forcing Ichimaru and Tousen to their knees. The Hogyoku began to crack and all captains were being forced down though Yamamoto made the pressure less severe to the other captains. Zaraki roared with his usual battle hungry attitude. "Now this deadly crap she's been hidin', who knew that royalty sat in front of us acting as if she were like us?"

Hitsugaya watched the unveiling of Diva's true form and this is where he witnessed her bankai.

"Bankai!"

White wings appeared behind her with her robes going under a devastating change. Her once short silver hair grew due to Shukumei's reiatsu that forced out Diva's true self to everyone. This put Aizen at a disadvantage because now, there were two bankai wielders: Kanagura Jin and Fukurou Diva.

"Ougenkinzora, Eikochouchin (King of the Gold Sky, Eikochouchin)," –smirked a very confident Jin, "this is my bankai, ya lousy ass!"

"Houginzubame, Shukumei (Jewelled Silver Wings, Shukumei)," –smiling weakly, Diva faced up lifting her claymore, "be warned that I won't be holding back anymore."

Her reiatsu, which took the form of feathers struck like heavy blades creating huge cracks in the buildings. The others were dragged to the side, upon seeing only Jin and Diva could create a heavy amount of damage. Byakuya then took his chance. "Shougetsu, did you know about this?"

Looking away guiltily, she nodded. "Diva-chan hated being known as a princess so she disguised herself as a man. She was cast away by her uncle who killed her father and took the throne for his son. He was also the one who forced Hisoka-nii to become a Shinigami and ordering his assassination with a group of Shinigami who we know today. They weren't from the stealth corps however; they were more from the fifth squad and twelfth squad."

It was then clear to them; while Hisoka's motive was to live, the younger sister Diva's motive of joining was revenge for her older brother. Her Shinigami uniform was so badly torn up to the point her legs and part of her upper torso was seen. The Kurohitsugi Aizen cast prior to the battle managed to burn her clothes but, that didn't stop both numbers one and five.

"Oi, Yagami, I mean err," –quickly correcting himself, Jin realized that he couldn't call the valedictorian that anymore, "Fukurou-sama?"

Smiling faintly, Diva let it go. "It's alright. Drop the '-sama', Fukurou will be fine."

Nodding numbly, the brunette looked away from Diva. "About those times in the academy, about me teasing you," his sentence trailed away as a forgiving smile appeared on Diva's face. That was all he needed while Diva looked towards their opponents to focus to the task at hand. "Kanagura, ikuze."

Feeling a new sensation from Diva, Jin gripped his hatchet axe tighter with a big wide smile. "Alright!"

Clashing against Aizen, Ichimaru and Tousen, the two pushed them to the end of their ropes. However, that changed the moment Kyouka Suigetsu completely caught Jin off guard. What the brunette thought he was attacking was nothing more than thin air. His mind had been trapped, if hypnosis didn't work then possibly, illusions proved to be more effective. Jin couldn't tell what he was doing anymore, his arms felt like lead and nothing seemed to be happening to Aizen.

"Grrr," –growling in annoyance, Jin swung his axe in a flustered manner, "Fukurou, got any ideas? I'm willing to pummel this guy's ass but unfortunately, he's being such a stuck-up brat about it! Stop Kyouka Suigetsu will ya!? You're the only one who can do it better than Aizen himself!"

Just to rub it in Aizen's face, Diva's face showed a sadistic smile tugged at the side of her lips. "Gladly, in any emotional torturing way possible."

Making a faint humming sound, Shukumei emanated a very faint light. The seriousness in her silver eyes said it all; implanting it into the floor. "Sharin no Unmei: Yami." (Wheel of Destiny: Darkness)

Instead of a huge spiritual force that put them to their knees, it bound them; forcing their cerebral cortex to make them see whatever they fear the most. Succumbing to it almost immediately, Ichimaru and Tousen lay crumpled on the floor, clutching their heads in pain. Aizen himself was being forced down and this allowed Jin to hit him hard. Easily coming up with a fallback plan, Aizen drew out Kyouka Suigetsu while Jin wasn't looking in attempt to kill the boy.

"Kanagura!"

Realizing he was about to be hit a little too late, Jin made a run for it hoping that he wouldn't get hit. However, in his defense, Diva blocked the shot with a flex of her sword. What they both didn't expect however is that it would burst from the impact and send both Shinigami flying.

Seeing the situation was going out of hand, Hitsugaya was planning to intervene but Yamamoto stopped him. "We should see what she is capable of," yet deep in his mind a question bothered him: What exactly are you capable of, hime-sama?

The two hit the floor and this became a signal for Shana to attack. Bolting forward like a jack rabbit alongside Reika, they rained their own assault. Deciding to direct her anger towards Aizen, Shana drew out her zanpakuto; Shinijikumaru and combined with it were her skills as a Quincy.

"Spread," –tugging on the bow's string far, she grinned evilly, "Shinijikumaru!"

From the bow and arrow, out came a frilled lizard and from behind Shana appeared Reika with her scythe high in the air. "Drive into the blackened ocean, Shukketsu Boumei -sha!"

Using the slash wave's velocity, Shana's arrows directed themselves towards the three traitors while Miko had enough time to drag Jin and Diva out of the scene. "Diva-taichou, are you alright? That was a nasty hit and Aizen's targeting you! Are you sure…?"

Halting Miko, Diva rose to her feet; dispelling her bankai and resuming it back to its shikai form. "A queen nor a captain ever runs away. I know I sound stupid because of my condition but," –she faced them in all seriousness, "we cannot let a dangerous criminal such as Aizen run around like a stray dog."

Knowing how thick headed their valedictorian was, Miko smiled. "Alright, bring us to the top, taichou! We're behind you all the way!"

Smirking, Jin hauled his hatchet axe over his shoulder. "We'll screw Aizen so bad that he'll wish that he never lived."

Seeing the sign of approval from her friends, she then cast an apologetic glance at her taichou. "Gomenasai, Hitsugaya-taichou. I couldn't trust anyone with my real identity, not just yet."

The white haired captain said nothing; Diva simply just vanished after along with the other two, leading them into combat like she always did before. Reactivating his bankai, Jin darted forward while Miko unsealed Fukitsu's true form. Upon seeing that, Shana muttered. "About time Miko made a move."

The five cooperated like they were telepathic and Ichimaru and Tousen recovered from their recent attack from the princess. Aizen on the other hand was just getting warmed up and because the five of them attacked together, that turned the tables against him.

The captains stared in awe as Diva managed to lead the group like a Gotei 13 taichou. She gave commands with such experience and authority that the others followed without question. Dropping her gentle and meek façade, Miko ran wild; swinging her staff in a graceful pattern often sweeping Tousen off his feet, literally. Reika and Shana had proved themselves as the Blood-Death pair; forcing Ichimaru to the end of the building, nearly causing him to fall. "Maa~, that's quite an impressive taichou you have there," smiled Ichimaru with a foxy grin.

"Ewww," –was Reika's reply, "I don't think Diva-san would like jackasses like you! So, bug off and go to hell while you're at it!"

Passing her a quizzical look, Ichimaru replied. "I didn't mean me."

"Don't try it," –pointed Reika accusingly, "not Tousen or even Aizen or pray that kami-sama will stop me from killing you!"

Shana paid no heed to the conversation and continuously shot arrows however, in the end, they lost the match.

Their trump card, Aizen's Kyouka Suigetsu and Tousen's Suzumushi changed the entire situation. Sealing away their senses, the only ones who were level headed during the entire situation were Reika and Diva. Shukketsu Boumei-sha, Reika's zanpakuto was used to the darkness and so was its wielder who just smiled at the fact that this battle was getting more interesting. However, Diva knew this was bad because of Miko's, Shana's and Jin's inexperience in the dark room.

"All of you," –Diva warned, "stay calm, wait for him to attack."

However, the attacks were quick and painful because they couldn't do anything. Once you're in Suzumushi's bankai, you can't feel anything. The five were attacked from all angles until Jin made a cocky move to break them out. "If you can't see," –grabbing Tousen's sword as it hit his arm, Jin grinned, "Grab someone who can!"

Realizing that he was now trapped, Tousen couldn't avoid the hatchet axe that nearly severed his head. By backing away, he bumped into Diva, who in turn managed to break his bankai with a single flash of Shukumei. Because his bankai was broken, the five managed to fight normally again but were too exhausted to make a move.

"Damn it, I," –struggling to rise from the ground, Reika gripped the scythe, "can't move!"

Breathing with heavy effort, Diva couldn't even pull of another attack anymore. She had used the Sharin no Unmei too early; if she had waited she would have been able to move. The other factor that contributed to their exhaustion was the fact that Tousen and Aizen had them bound in the darkness.

"Now," –smirking, Aizen raised Kyouka Suigetsu over Miko's head, "let's kill the naïve blonde one first."

Beyond terrified, her first instinct was to raise the bo staff over her head. However, before the sword hit her, she was moved away and the one who pulled her out of the way was Byakuya Kuchiki.

"Kuchiki-sama," –she couldn't look at him straight in the eyes, "gomenasai, I'll try harder next time."

His gaze didn't leave off Aizen as the captains, one by one interfered like Zaraki going wild and Hitsugaya, Ukitake and Unohana moving in for the save. Unfortunately for Zaraki, the moment Byakuya saved Miko; all three traitors were gone. "Aww, I wanted a good fight."

Jin let out a sigh. "Who would want to fight you with a scary face like that?"

Diva found herself behind Hitsugaya, who still had his sword drawn. "Hey."

Looking up, Diva saw the emerald green orbs of Hitsugaya focus on her. "Don't just run off without any orders," –looking away, Hitsugaya was trying to hide something, "I appreciate you trying to save me by sending the rest of the squad. I have to admit; that was excellent timing and wise strategizing but next time," he paused for awhile. "Don't go off on your own with other squad members not within my jurisdiction."

Nodding numbly, she watched them reorganize themselves until she passed out.

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

Waking up, she found herself in Squad Four. Next to her were her teammates and every captain and every lieutenant. Matsumoto started. "Are you alright, Fukurou-sama?"

Hearing that she was being addressed by her real name, Diva lowered her head. "You don't have to call me that." She also noticed her friends hung their heads low; looks like they rat on her. She expected this; not many of them were prepared for an interrogation with Sou-taichou, a base she forgot to cover.

"Your highness," –sou-taichou's tone becoming formal, "why is it you're out here? You should be at the palace where the king is."

Not wanting to reply, she looked at the white sheet. Unohana suggested. "Maybe we should let her rest, she just woke up and we shouldn't be bombarding her with questions. After all," –she looked at all the captains with direct eye contact, "she did just repel Aizen's second half of the invasion."

Hitsugaya was also in complete disbelief that Diva was his third seat and the one whom he kept calling 'Yagami' was actually the princess. Soi Fon, menacingly took a step forward. "I don't know what you're planning. But, if you attempt something like this again," –she grabbed the hospital robe of Diva, "you might not be here anymore."

Her glare bore through Diva's soul but the princess remained unmoved as her gaze remained deadly. However, Diva didn't need to speak the moment a hatchet axe and a bow and arrow were pointed at her. Soi Fon saw Jin and Shana glaring at her as well as words from the Quincy-Shinigami seethed through her teeth. "Don't you dare treat her like that, you aggressive…!"

Before another word came out of her mouth, Unohana put a hand on Shana's shoulder. "What did we talk about the other day, Shana?"

The lavenderette backed off and Jin was forced to back off as well, upon seeing he was the only one that held his sword against Soi Fon.

Smirking, she mocked. "So you're just a bunch of cowards. You can't fight me unless you're in pairs or in a group!"

However, the moment she sounded off, she felt herself drop to the floor and Diva had a very stoic glare. "Everyone, please leave my friends alone. Also, Soi Fon-taichou, you are not allowed to call my friends such a degrading name. After all," –a dark glint appeared in the princess' eyes, "they just warded off Aizen did they not?"

Seeing Diva had a point, Soi Fon stopped and Mayuri Kurotsuchi stepped forward. "Now what business does the princess have with us?"

They all spoke as if it was a bad thing; Diva started doing hand signals on the bed. Jin and the others understood it immediately as they proceeded to leave the room. Byakuya watched Miko step out and with a stoic glare; he asked. "Now, what's with the hand signals? I don't remember you being mute."

Diva didn't face them; gripping the sheet tighter, she mumbled. "If I say something, will you hurt them…?"

Momo whispered. "Eh? What she say, Renji?"

"Something about her friends I think," was Renji's unsure reply.

"Instead of running around as an impostor and concealing your identity," –growled the Stealth Force captain, "you could have told us. So, why didn't you say anything?"

Diva felt the intensity of all the gazes of the captain but chose not to speak. "Normally," –sou-taichou walked forward, "we would treat someone of royal bloodline with respect but what you done is the most disrespectful thing in Soul Society. Abandoning who you were and taking the place of a dead captain."

Momo nudged Hitsugaya. "Aren't you going to say anything?"

Hitsugaya's placid reply came cold and insensitive. "No."

Since speaking kindly wasn't helping, Soi Fon went with another measure. "If you don't talk right now, I will kill all your friends right here."

Now, this got Diva's attention. Anger glinted in her silver eyes. "One move…"

Hisagi felt the murderous intent of the princess. "One move… and you'll wish… that you never existed."

The captains didn't bother to move; sou-taichou added. "You realize you are in a room surrounded by captains…"

"Who will," –smirked Kurotsuchi, "kill you if you attempt anything treacherous."

Deciding to call their bluff, Diva smiled. "Then is this treacherous…?"

Knocking over a vase and picking up the glass, she pressed it against her neck. The captains realized that she was serious in doing what she was about to do however, Zaraki didn't seem to get it. "Go ahead. Do what you want with yourself. Not that we care."

Appalled by Zaraki's attitude towards the situation, the captains faced Diva once more, only to see that four of her friends were already near her. Diva muttered. "I thought I told you to leave."

Jin's smirk grew wider. "Che, as if I take orders from a girl! Especially one in danger of being sentenced to death or exile."

Reika begged. "Please don't kill her! Nee-san just wanted to help others and end the war as soon as possible!"

Shana threatened; her green eyes glowing with anger. "I will slay every hollow and destroy those who hurt nee-san. Especially you, Captain Soi Fon. I won't hesitate if you tried because I'm prepared to impale your arrogant little heart to the--!"

Paralysing all four, Diva sent out her reiatsu singing in the air. "It's alright, Shana. Jin, thank you for your concern," –her voice maintained polite and stoic, "but, your bravado won't do much right now. Miko, bring the three of them outside, use any means necessary."

Nodding, blonde dragged all three of them outside but Shana still kept her glare on Soi Fon. The moment the four vanished; Diva gave a rueful smile. "I'm sorry. I wanted to end this war as soon as possible. I wanted the world to be peaceful if you're asking for the reason why I joined the ranks. However," –she looked up at the captains, "my identity was not concealed because of whatever Shougetsu-san has informed Kuchiki-taichou of. I hid my identity to protect those around me. Who you serve now, is not my father but my uncle."

The captains weren't looking at her in the eye but rather at the hand that held the shard of glass to her neck. Realizing that, she lay her hand down and disposed of the glass. "I became a man to protect those around me. He would kill anyone who has associated with me. Perhaps, he would even take away your dignity as captains first before he tortures you. He considers me," –her lips curved into a even more mournful smile, "a threat and will do anything to have me dead."

Matsumoto decided to ask. "So, how did you get out here?"

Diva's reply was inaudible but loud enough for Hitsugaya to hear. "I was exiled. I was shoved out of the dimension itself."

"Hence the title," –Soi Fon quipped; being a little more receptive and kind, "the Exiled Princess. However, your actions don't justify what you were trying to accomplish. You wanted revenge for your brother did you not?"

To this, Diva gave her an honest reply. "Yes, I did. I came out here to find more about his killer, my uncle dismissed it as if it were nothing. I cannot safely assume that he is the killer of my older brother."

They nodded; satisfied with the reply. "You can throw me into Maggot's Nest if you like."

Shocked by the suggestion, Diva didn't look the least bit afraid. "I'm considered a criminal for hiding my identity am I right? So, let the law do its work."

"No!"

The four broke in again with Miko gulping. "Gomenasai, Diva-sama. I tried to…"

Reika cut her off. "You're not going to be thrown into that asylum! Nee-san, have you lost it!?"

"Not in a million years," was Jin's loud holler.

"Mama, don't go there!" was the Quincy-Shinigami's desperate plea.

Silence enshrouded the room, the captains stared in awe at the amount of respect she held from the four alone. Hitsugaya then quietly said. "I wouldn't want that either."

Agreeing with her captain, Matsumoto spoke up. "I know she deceived us but she did have a reason. But, even I'm not that heartless to throw her in there. Besides," smiled Matsumoto, "she never meant anything malicious. She just wanted what was good for her people."

Momo nodded. "Yeah, she's trying to help us!"

Seeing the requests of the people around him, sou-taichou looked at the other captains who also agreed with what they were saying. "You will not be thrown in there, your punishment will be staying in Squad Ten as the third seat of Captain Hitsugaya."

In utter shock, Diva looked up. "Huh?"

Ukitake smiled. "I don't think you deserve to go into a place like that. Besides, its not as if you tried to kill sou-taichou or something."

Laughing softly, Diva smiled. "I don't think I'm crazy enough to attempt that, Ukitake-taichou."

Byakuya also added. "Someone such as yourself has no reason to be thrown into a prison. Especially when your life will be more in danger in that place."

Komamura agreed. "It would be our honor to fight alongside the princess to end this war."

Soi Fon's features softened, Kurotsuchi said nothing but sounded like he agreed, Kyoraku added. "Besides, a pretty girl such as yourself should be surrounded by a bunch of brutes."

The captains could only sigh as Kyoraku began to flirt again. Nanao held herself back from swatting Kyoraku with her book while Isane whispered something to captain Unohana. "I think we should leave her now."

Nodding, Unohana beckoned everyone to leave. "Alright, everyone, she needs to get some rest. Please leave now."

Wishing for her to get well, the captains began to leave however, Diva requested. "Matsumoto-san, Hitsugaya-taichou, Hinamori-san, Ukitake-taichou, Kuchiki-taichou, Shougetsu, Kanagura, Hoshikaze and Yuchizawa, please stay."

The door closed behind them as she bowed in gratitude. "Thank you, for speaking up for me. Despite me lying to you."

Hitsugaya smirked. "Why would I let someone like you end up there for no reason? It's not as if you did something very criminal."

Ukitake agreed. "Like I said, you don't deserve to go to a place like that."

Byakuya managed to smile. "It would be horrible if the princess were to be sentenced to a horrible place like that."

"Yay! Best friend!" squealed Matsumoto while giving Diva a death hug.

"I can't breathe," –coughed Diva while smiling sheepishly, "help."

Momo pried Matsumoto off while she smiled with a cheerful reply. "Yeah, Diva-chan. You shouldn't think so negatively all the time."

To this, Diva heard her taichou mutter. "This is from someone who is still down in the dumps and wetting her bed."

"Hey! You're mean Shirou-chan!"

"It's **CAPTAIN** Hitsugaya!" bellowed the white spiky haired captain.

Diva laughed softly and hearing her laugh, was like music to Hitsugaya's ears. He had grown attached to the male version like a sibling and now, that he discovered that Hisoka was actually a girl. He felt like he was about to get really close if he wasn't careful. Blush tinged his cheeks the moment she laughed.

"Say," –teased Reika, "why is Hitsugaya looking like an apple?"

Matsumoto saw the redness of Hitsugaya's face. "Yeah, I wonder why."

Realizing that all eyes were on him, Hitsugaya shook his head and hid the blush. "Ma…tsu…mo..to!"

Shana, Jin and Miko could only laugh and Momo was also laughing while Byakuya and Ukitake stifled their laughs as soon as they could.

The silver haired princess saw how many people still trusted her; this reinforced her will to fight. "Everyone… thank you."

-That's chapter 4! Sorry, it's short, please read and review!


	5. Regularity

(I don't own Bleach!)

Chapter 5 – Regularity

With the sun shining brightly, Diva quietly sat on her bed as she watched the birds fly. Apparently, her little escapade earned her a punishment that she wanted: third seat of Hitsugaya's squad. She didn't mind as long as she didn't go back to her uncle. Somehow, she knew that the captains were playing with her. After her power demonstration, they knew they wouldn't mess with her as long as she lived. Though, it never bothered her; what infuriated her friends although was the way Soi Fon treated her, no respect at all. She didn't expect it; she knew her actions were quite atrocious.

Smiling bitterly, she traced the wounds on her arms.

If she had told them who she truly was, she wouldn't be there on that bed. Laughing with a solemn smile, she lay back before taking one look at her zanpakuto that lay in its silver sheathe.

"_Mistress, you seem troubled," _commented the silver sword with worry.

"You don't need to worry about me," –assured the princess, "I just overdid things like always. My wounds are nothing healing kidou can't fix."

"_But still, your welfare is still my concern," _–sighing at the stubbornness of her wielder, Shukumei let out a low hiss_, "after all; I swore that I would serve you until the bitter end. I swore the same to your brother. When he died, I swore to him that I would protect you every single of the way._"

Giving off a dry laugh, Diva remembered how those people stood up for her. She had actually expected Captain Hitsugaya to throw her into a cell or let her executed by Soi Fon but knowing her identity, the probability of all those happening dropped to zeroes instantly. "Well Shukumei," –closing her eyes, she whispered, "I think it's time we stopped running away. Get some rest; we have things to do tomorrow."

"_Yes, mistress, get well soon. Remember: 'kesshite kibou wo utte haikenai'."_

Passing her a small laugh, Diva drifted off to sleep. "I'll remember that, Shukumei. Thank you."

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

Back at the office, Hitsugaya rummaged through Diva's papers. All her records were now there; much to his happiness. Now, he won't have to do any more research. But, the thing that caught him off guard was that she was princess of Soul Society. He had never seen someone so hardworking, so simple and so…

"_Beautiful, perhaps?"_ –drawled the blue dragon in Hitsugaya's mind.

"Shut up, Hyourinmaru," –was all Hitsugaya managed to say. Though he had to admit, she was a sight to behold and not many Shinigami got to gaze into the eyes of those who were next in line for the throne.

"_You're rejecting your feelings again then again," ­_–purred Hyourinmaru, _"maybe it is best for you to stay away from her. After all, you know the rules."_

"No noble can marry a commoner," –muttered the white haired captain, "I know that already, Hyourinmaru. I'm very well aware of it."

Quietly stacking the papers, Hitsugaya continued to think about his third seat. She reminded him of someone he heard in his mind. Momo may be close but somehow, Aizen was the one her heart was firmly set on. He didn't like her in the way a lot of people thought; it was more sibling affection which came with over protectiveness and the entire package. Smirking, Hitsugaya continued to move things while Matsumoto finally got the hang of the paper work. Diva proved to be a valuable asset especially in paper work deadlines; her combat skills were no joke either. For her to even inflict small damage on Aizen was quite an achievement. He remembered when he went against Aizen and couldn't even lay a finger on him.

He remembered Momo's terrified face after being stabbed through by Aizen, the blood that coated the floor when she was impaled, the anger that rushed through his blood and mind after seeing Aizen was the culprit behind everything but after looking at Diva, somehow…

Everything didn't seem to matter.

She probably knew the killer of her brother but he saw that she didn't hunt for him relentlessly the same way he hunted down Aizen. Both of them desired revenge; yes. But, their methods were different; she chose to live her life as a Shinigami while he chose to hunt Aizen down and kill him with his own sword. There were so many things about her that made her an enigma and somehow then again, it didn't bother him. What mattered right now was the present and Aizen was going to ruin the future and they had to stop him before what they fear becomes reality.

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

Cleaning up the Kuchiki household, Miko continued sweeping the floors while accompanying Byakuya in his daily walks in the garden. He wasn't in his usual captain's uniform but that made him harmless looking and more approachable. She had constantly been by his side ever since they were small. She had met Hisana quite a number of times and knew how much the woman meant to her master. She also knew how big the resemblance Rukia had to her sister; it was almost alike and it was quite shocking.

Miko looked at herself. What about her?

Her? She was nothing more than a commoner from Rukongai. She was found in a house with her dead mother who was killed by her insane father. She was daughter of the former ninth captain before Kensei and Kaname Tousen. Fukitsu Kage, her current zanpakuto was actually once her father's and no one knew how a sweet girl such as her obtained such an atrocious and ferocious zanpakuto which completely contrasted her personality. Cared by Ginrei Kuchiki and assigned to Byakuya Kuchiki as a constant companion, Miko more or less was like a servant in the house.

She had her own quarters and her loyalty belonged to Captain Kuchiki and Diva. Miko nevertheless wanted to be of more use; all her group mates seemed to have more power than her. Constantly overpowering her in every aspect of combat, Miko found one word to label herself as: useless.

In Diva's eyes however, she found a purpose. Miko was more like the mother of the group; constantly caring for them despite her naïve nature. While Diva was the calm and stoic one, she became the mother of the group most of the time, finding herself yelling at Jin for his recklessness and punishing Shana for her pranks and Reika for her irritability. She also became the healer of the team; casting support kidou to back them up.

"I must be that weak," –smiled a rueful Miko, "taichou has better things to do and I always burden her with my slow movement."

"_I don't believe that Diva-sama would think you're weak," _–quoted the black cat, _"she has protected you and if she knew that you were useless, she would have let you die in battle. But, you notice that she hasn't even let a hollow touch you?"_

Laughing in sarcasm, Miko sheepishly replied. "Maybe it's because Kuchiki-taichou threatens anyone who gets me hurt."

"_Diva-sama believes in withdrawal; meaning to execute an attack only in defense," _­–sighing in defeat, the black cat purred, _"I don't know what's wrong with that girl. Honestly, as a princess, most of them would rather sit at home and twiddle with their fingers and wait for their prince to come save them. How does that horse put up with her anyway?"_

"Diva," –argued Miko "is no average princess! She goes out of her way to help people! Even if it means to hold up a sword and run to the frontlines, she won't falter in her desire to protect and help people in anyway she can!"

"_Maybe that's what she also saw in you, Miko-san."_

Unable to hide her surprise and disbelief, a bitter reply made its way through. "I don't think so," –laying her broom against the wall, Miko leaned against the tree nearby, "she probably thinks I need to be braver in battle."

"_True," _–admitting gloomily, Fukitsu Kage appeared before her as a cuddly kitten once more, "_you need more backbone, girl! Pull yourself together! Live up to the Shougetsu name and show that you are no boneless chicken! Gundamnit girl, you really need to give yourself more courage!"_

Seeing the encouragement in the golden eyes of her zanpakuto, Miko stood up with renewed will. "Do you think Kuchiki-sama would be willing to train me?"

"_Are you serious?" _–moaned the cat in utter despair, "_that man would rather pin your head with Senbonzakura than train you! I suggest going to Diva-sama for training. After all," _­with the light glinting in the cat's eyes, it showed more serious intent to help her master increase in strength, "_she is the one who led the Execution Squad to kill Aizen. Actually, we shouldn't call it squad anymore. Since the Stealth Force is more for that, we should just make it a club."_

Remembering what had happened to her captain, Miko protested, "But wait, she's in the hospital and Unohana did say that stress would cause her wounds to rip open again! We can't chance that, Fuki-chan!"

"_Gah! The name," _–hissed an angry cat, "_please, will you call me Fukitsu at least! Not Fuki-chan! The name has this incessant ringing in my ears! Will you stop that!? I already have nightmares of pink bonnets and yellow ribbons decorating my infamously beautiful fur! Who said she was going to go run with you, you brainless airhead? You," _–already annoyed with Miko's constant excuses, "_of all people should know that she isn't as big as an airhead as you are."_

Reverting back to her cheerful self, Miko nodded with a sheepish yet determined reply. "Sure! Fukitsu-san."

"_Much better, now let's go find hime before your stone faced master comes out to look for you."_

However things turned out different, "Kuchiki-sama, I'm going to bring fruits to Diva-chan! I'll be back in awhile!" hollered Miko from the gate.

Sighing in annoyance, the cat trotted after her master. _"That girl needs a backbone. I'm serious."_

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

Tending to her own wounds, Shana bandaged them with a third layer of bandages as she applied ointment to every cut and bruise she had. She was furious; the 2nd squad captain had shown no respect to the princess. That act alone infuriated her however, what made things worse was when she threatened to kill them in order to force Diva to speak. The Quincy-Shinigami had officially put her on her death row; she also added this task to her things-to-do list: kill Captain Soi Fon the moment she sees her.

"Shana-chan," –whispered a motherly voice from behind.

Looking up, she saw Captain Unohana with her usual motherly smile. "Yes? Is there something you need, taichou?"

"About what happened yesterday," –letting out a sigh, Unohana had a hint of disappointment in her voice, "I don't want that to happen again. She's a captain and she's only doing her job as one. It doesn't mean that she hates Diva-hime. In fact," –she pointed out as soon as she could while explaining it as simply as she could, "she was trying to protect her."

"How does threatening protect her? I mean," protested a very angry Shana, "she used us as bargaining chips! She even held Diva-sama by the collar!"

Unohana let out a sigh; explaining the justification of Soi Fon's actions wasn't easy. "Well," –sitting down next to her and fixing her bandages, Unohana continued, "Captain Soi Fon knows what it's like to protect a princess. She was once under a noble herself just like you did to yourself now by putting yourself under the princess' command. She was a servant of the Shihoin family after all."

"So," –this issue infuriated Shana even more, causing her to release a heavy amount of reiatsu, "you're saying its right for her to threaten nee-sama with her friends?! I don't think so!"

At the end of the statement, Unohana noticed the tension in the atmosphere and how many birds that have fallen on the floor due to the paralysis the reiatsu of Shana caused. "Shana, please," –desperately trying to get her point across to the younger one, Unohana gave her a pleading look, "I know that you're still angry at the captain's disrespect but you know you can't say anything because the princess herself was wrong for hiding her identity."

Lowering her head in shame, Shana realized that Unohana was right. "I'm sorry, Captain Unohana."

The woman smiled. "It's alright, Shana. However, I will not tolerate that sort of disrespect another time, understand?"

Nodding in assurance, Shana gave her a big wide goofy grin. "You can count on me!"

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

Reika on the other hand was filling out some papers that were reports for the hollow attacks recently. The sentence of her 'taichou' was quite surprising; considering what she had done was pretty atrocious and caused all Shinigami to disrespect her as well. However, she knew that Diva wouldn't care and would most likely keep the pain to herself.

Why was she like that when she had us around? This question obviously bugs Reika all the time.

Diva hardly smiled. Her smile was either faint or very bitter. She also had a poker face which she kept up constantly and made herself known to be the Queen of Silver. Silver, being hard and cold meant no emotion. Queen, because she was the best in the academy, well they called her the 'Silver King' since they recently thought that she was a man. But, that didn't matter anymore since the cat was out of the bag.

She never had problems in following Diva's orders. The way she acted around people bugged her. Why did she conceal all those things? Were they that untrustworthy? After all they've gone through, she still never trusted them enough to show what she felt deep inside?

"_That's because you're an idiot,"_ –a cruel voice mocked inside of her, _"You can never understand what she has felt."_

Definitely sure that this was her conscience and not Shukketsu; Reika shook the thoughts out of her head. "Why is this bugging me now? Shouldn't I be focusing on my paperwork and not my own thoughts?"

"_Perhaps," ­_–another voice intervened, _"your protectiveness over your friends has intensified. Reika, indeed one of your most undoubted qualities is that you of being like an older sister. While Miko was more like a mother, Diva played the role of a leader or rather a Queen; you had the role of being the advisor. Don't you think that is good enough amount of trust to receive from someone who is so unsure of herself?"_

Reika gave her zanpakuto a haughty laugh. "Yeah, sure. As if I was ever satisfied with that amount of trust," –laying down her brush, she slammed the table, "I wanted her to trust us as if we were family! We always did that with her! Why can't she trust us the same way?"

Shukketsu's deep sexy and velvet male voice broke in. _"For all you know, she did trust you. She trusted you guys too much to the point she gave you secrets that would get you killed. If she let you in any deeper, do you think she'll be able to live with the fact that she had placed you all in danger?"_

"What," –unable to comprehend what he meant, Reika growled, "do you mean? We're all old enough to kick ass and here she is, looking after us as if we are little children! Who the hell does she think we are!? The baby brigade?! We were trained by her, taught by her and definitely raised by her! She was the one who gave us everything! The determination to be who we are! Miko, Shana and I are all Hell-feeding zanpakuto wielders! Jin's just… Jin! But her…! Agh! I don't know anymore!"

Seeing his flustered master, Shukketsu let out a sigh. _"You're one difficult person to listen when you rant y'know? I swear with all that breath you just wasted, you can kill someone with your rants alone. Besides, it's not as if she's trying to shut you people out. Shukketsu-sama believes that she will open up sooner or later."_

Reika let out an icy hiss. "There you go referring yourself in the third person again. Don't you ever let your arrogance rest, you deranged willow tree with the ability to talk!? I should've broken you while I could!"

"_Ow,"_ –whined Shukketsu in a mocking tone, _"you wound me, madam. Reika, I know we hate each other but that doesn't mean we can explode it on to other people. I'm sure Diva-hime has a lot of enemies as well and your hatred for me is nothing compared to those who hate her."_

Cutting off her connection with her arrogant zanpakuto, Reika resumed to work once more. "Reika-fuku-taichou, permission to enter please."

The tangerine haired girl beckoned. "It's open. Just get your ass in here."

The door flung open and Kiyone was on the floor, bowing with respect. "Yuchizawa-san, Ukitake-taichou requests your assistance! Several Adjucas were seen in Karakura town! You're allowed to not use your limiter, Yuchizawa-san."

Standing up and hauling Shukketsu Boumei-sha over her shoulder, Reika growled. "Damn those hollows, they never learn," –turning back to the kneeling third seat, she ordered, "when I get back here I want that paper work sent to the ninth division to get it signed! I'll beat those arrogant bastards from whence they came from or dear lord help me before I kick some innocent bystander's ass by mistake!"

Seeing that Reika was in no mood to argue, Kiyone nodded wordlessly as the orangette vanished.

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

"What the hell!? Are you sure we're going the right way!?" yelled a very flustered brunette.

"Of course I am," yelled the pink haired lieutenant clinging on to his back, "it's a woman's intuition!"

"Woman's intuition, my ass!" –retorted Jin once more but then remembered who is captain was, "oh yeah," –he thought, "I've been relying on Diva-san for as long as I remember my days in the Shinigami Academy. My sense of direction really stunk…"

_(Flashback)_

"_Do you know where we are?" asked a very shy and timid blonde._

"_Of course we do," –declaring proudly, Jin walked on, "it's not as if we're lost!"_

_Today was the day all their students get to find their zanpakuto, though many of the students paired up with each other. Jin and Miko were partnered up to find their zanpakuto since both knew that they weren't planning to wander off that far. Unfortunately for both of them, neither of them had a very good sense of direction and often ended up in some place they didn't want to be like, in a dense forest with glowing yellow eyes staring at them._

"_Kanagura-sempai," –trembled the blonde behind him, "are you sure we're going the right way?"_

_Now, it was his turn to get terrified. He didn't see the light of the sun anymore and he could've sworn he sensed a hollow nearby. "Miko, do you remember where we started entering?"_

_Shaking her head in sadness, Miko's lips quivered. "I don't think so, Kanagura-sempai."_

"_Damn," –he thought, "There's no way in hell we're going to make it. The fact that we don't have a zanpakuto makes all the things worse. Miko may know kidou but it's useless in this situation and no way is my fist going to penetrate through hollow armor. Gosh, when have I been so moronic?"_

_While deep in his thoughts, he heard the bushes rustle. "What was that?"_

_The bushes rustled again. To this, the terrified blonde cried. "I don't know; it wasn't me!"_

"_This is the worse situation to be in," –snapped Jin mentally; "if only I found my zanpakuto earlier then, if this were a hollow, no problem. Fighting had always been my forte! But now," gulped the brunette, "for the first time, I actually feel powerless. I feel so weak, what's wrong with me?"_

_The leaves rushed up into the air as the hollow lunged towards them. Miko let out a loud scream while Jin had the presence of mind to run while dragging her with him. She couldn't keep up with Jin's speed and nearly ended up falling twice. "Miko, faster! We're not going to get out of here alive if you keep tripping!"_

_Being beyond terrified, the hollow stood in front of her; licking his chops. Since when did hollows enter this side of Soul Society? I guess some of the Mod Souls from the Twelfth Division had enough negative intention to become one._

"_Kyaaaaaah!"_

_Her first instinct was to cover her head with her hands and Jin closed his eyes in regret. However, they heard no blood splutter; rather a hollow screaming in agony. Opening his eyes, Jin and Miko saw Hisoka with his sword buried into the hollow's head. "Kesshite kibou wo utte haikenai."_

_The two looked up while Hisoka smiled faintly. "Never lose hope. You still have a chance. Everyone has a chance. No one's ever sealed by fate."_

_(End of Flashback)_

Smiling bitterly to himself, Jin remembered how helpless he was at that time. Hisoka had saved him countless of times; why did he constantly mock him for it? Was he insecure of himself or was it rather because he just wanted to be the best always?

Before Hisoka had entered the Academy, he was number one. A valedictorian until he entered with Miko, Shana and Reika. The four quickly took their places in the elite and left him as number five. Now he knew why he ended up there, the four were dedicated and loyal to Hisoka and the silverette was more than willing to help them. In doing so, the four raised their ranks with him backing down to number five.

He felt so weak compared to Hisoka. Feeling small all the time, Jin made Hisoka his rival that day. Before they began their graduation exam,

_(Flashback)_

"_Hey, Yagami!" yelled the brunette who rushed towards the lanky silver haired student._

"_Yeah," –calmly replied the valedictorian with his usual poker face, "what is it?"_

_Picking his batch mate up by the collar of shihakusho, Jin declared. "From this day on, you're my rival! I knew you were something special, Yagami! I thought you were some lanky kid who can't do anything! From this day on, I'm going to find a way how to defeat you! I won't lose to you! Not even to anyone! So you better not lose to anyone asides from me, understand, that Yagami!?"_

_The valedictorian's lips tugged to make a small smile, bringing out his zanpakuto as a sign of consent. "You too, Kanagura. Work your way to the top. I'm sure one day… just one day," –the silverette put the blunt edge of his sword on Jin's shoulder, "you will surpass me."_

_(End of Flashback)_

"Hey chocolate," –called the pink haired lieutenant, "don't space out like pachinko head! Do you know where we are now?"

Kicking himself mentally, he had half the mind to toss Yachiru into the trash can but he knew that Zaraki would have his head if he did. "Yeah," –Jin smiled, "Y'know what? I should've done this hours ago."

Yachiru clung on to him tightly; feeling free again, Jin used the flash step to bolt up to the buildings. He may know the flash step but he wasn't a master at it like the captains. He bolted towards the candy shop, seeing the sign from the roofs.

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

"I heard there are new Shinigami," –mentioned the orange haired substitute Shinigami while he was studying, "Urahara-san, tell me, when do you think this war will ever end?"

The former captain shrugged. "I don't think it will until we bury Aizen. Unfortunately, easier said than done."

Yoruichi strode towards them in her usual cat form. "These new Shinigami, Ichigo, are way beyond your strength. I've heard about most of their abilities. One is even similar to you, a very big zanpakuto but she has better control over her reiatsu than you."

"Really?" Passing a look to Rukia, the thirteenth squad member nodded. "It's true. She leads a small group of Shinigami called the Execution Squad. I know one of the members since she's lieutenant. But, of course she'd be better than you, baka," –she pinched Ichigo's side, "you can't even do a simple spell of kidou! The way she does kidou, it's as if it's just taking pocket change out of her pocket."

Ichigo's face remained defiant. "Feh! Of course I can! I just need time!"

The Quincy, Uryuu Ishida got in the conversation. "I also hear that there's a Quincy-Shinigami. Is that even possible?"

Urahara nodded. "Some Shinigami that have chosen to live among humans got married to Quincy people. This girl's no joke either; very fearsome and somewhat unstable. However, the leader Yoruichi is talking about is the one who keeps all five of them in line."

"Five?" questioned Ichigo.

Yoruichi added. "From Rukia's reference, this girl is no ordinary girl. But, she's one of the strongest entities and probably the one who poses the highest threat level to Aizen. Asides from Orihime," –Yoruichi continued explaining, "This girl might actually be Aizen's target. We maybe powerful but once he gets his hands on this girl. We're so screwed."

Chad then passed a quizzical look. "Then what happens then?"

Urahara put it simply. "In other words, if she's either killed or controlled by Aizen, Soul Society will be doomed for all eternity. She's the only one who knows where that place is."

"What place?" Ichigo asked.

"The waterfall of spirits," –mumbled Rukia, "I've heard legends about that place but I never knew it existed. Legends say that all zanpakuto are derived from there. Zanpakuto were originally once Shinigami that have lost contact with their human form when they died. They turn into our weapons and basically, we do the same when we die."

Orihime wondered. "Does that happen when you're human too?"

Shaking her head, Rukia drew out her handy dandy sketch book with Chappy the bunny drawings. "Humans don't turn into zanpakuto; they turn into Shinigami and when they die, they turn into zanpakuto after several years. After their wielder dies, the zanpakuto then also vanishes and is reincarnated as a human again. The cycle goes on and on and on. Any questions?"

Ichigo asked. "Tell me, why haven't your drawings improved?"

Earning a punch from Rukia, the whole Urahara shop went topsy turvy again.

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

Byakuya on the other hand knew where Miko was going but somehow he couldn't help but feel worried. This girl who had been his servant for so many years and also his constant companion. Why was that he was losing his composure over someone lower than him? Byakuya Kuchiki never lost his composure, let alone for anything as trivial as this.

However, the blonde did spark up his life. Her kind yet somewhat naive attitude, her caring and nagging character made a mark in his mind. The blonde was too kind, he thought then again; maybe it was best that it remained that way. Her gentle nature was something that made him at ease especially when Renji would stress him from work. He remembered all the times when he had been so cold to her, causing her to lose that spark of happiness which had been making him insanely happy deep down.

How long are you going to contemplate about this, Byakuya Kuchiki?

The question nags him everyday; not knowing when he'll find the answer for it. When she accompanies him in one of his walks, he feels at ease. Usually, his companion was Rukia but then that all changed when she started staying at the human world more often. The only one who had never shown any signs of hatred towards him was that small blonde girl whom he passed his cold shoulder attitude to constantly.

Yet, her smile never faded.

He thought at first that she was mentally ill; but then realized that it was all part of her nature. Her blue eyes shone with cheer and her actions easily conveyed the messages she'd wanted to get across. However, when she left for the academy, he saw two of the students accompany her to school.

One was the silverette and the second was the brunette.

"_So sad, Byakuya-kun," _–chuckled a teasing Senbonzakura at the back of his head, _"you were jealous of a girl. A princess at that and at the same time, a young boy who has no sense of direction. Your jealousy tends to have funny targets."_

Byakuya gives her an icy reply. "I was not jealous."

"_Well," _–thought the conniving Senbonzakura at the back of his mind, _"How do you explain your constant worry over her? When you told her not to get influenced by Abarai-kun, when you told her to go run for safety while you defeated the hollows yourself? Admit it, Byakuya; you have a thing for commoners."_

"I do not," –his tone noting finality in it, "have a thing for commoners. I only love one person and that's Hisana."

"_Are you sure she'd want you to love her forever? Not ever moving on with your godforsaken life?" ­_questioned a very serious zanpakuto, _"Not to mention that she herself was a commoner, ne, Byakuya-kun?"_

Realizing how dead right on his zanpakuto was, he admitted quietly. "She does have an enlightening personality."

Smiling that she was winning the mind game against Byakuya, she quoted. _"I suggest you do something soon, however. Do you think she'll wait for you? Seeing that she's getting closer to many of the Squad Six members and many others,"_ –a sly tone was added to her voice.

"Just what are you trying to imply, Senbonzakura? You enjoy doing sadistic torture don't you?" earning herself a glare and deadly intent from her master, Senbonzakura proceeded with what she was saying.

"_I have to admit; she's a sweet girl and all. She's pretty also; no one said anything about her looking like a hag. But, you should know Byakuya, we all have eyes. Even those that don't seem to have seen her as much as you have," Senbonzakura smiled._

"For a zanpakuto, you're quite sadistic," –muttered a very annoyed Kuchiki member.

"I know, just make sure, you make a move before someone gets to her before you. Ja, I'll leave you alone now."

With this, Senbonzakura left his mind.

Byakuya continued to do his other clan duties however the conversation with his zanpakuto did not soothe his uneasiness.

Seeing him regularly made her more oblivious day by day, what would seeing her regularly do for him?

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

"Diva-taichou! I brought you fruits," –squealed a very enthusiastic Miko.

Jin smirked. "Heard ya getting out of the room in three days, that's one awesome rate of recovery you have, du---I mean, hime-sama."

Smiling at the sight of her friends, Diva acknowledged their intentions. "Thanks for coming. This room could be a little dull when you're alone."

Reika though stayed quietly at the back. The thoughts of her wanting Diva's trust even more embarrassed her; she couldn't even look at the silverette straight in the eyes even if she had the confidence. The sight of Diva right now gave her jitters.

"Yuchizawa-san," –asked Diva, though their was vague evidence of concern in her voice, "how long are you going to look at the floor?"

Raising her head up, Reika decided to bring the topic to light. "You should trust us more, Diva-sama."

"Huh?" Completely caught off guard by the question, Diva wondered. "What do you mean?"

"The way you talk to us," –Reika faced the floor once more, "it's like we're nothing more than colleagues when we're family! We worked so hard to make this unbreakable bond and you're the only one trying to pull away! Diva-sama, I'm sorry but---!"

"It's alright," –entered a soft voice, "I understand."

They looked at her who allowed herself to smile genuinely. "You guys are my family. No one can ever take your place as my brother and sisters, especially you guys. Not even a carbon copy of you guys would satisfy me even if you guys are away. You're family and we stick together."

"All for one," –quoted Miko.

"One for all," squealed Shana from the sidelines.

Jin murmured. "Keep smiling that way, Diva-chan and everyone's going to be wondering where that smile came from and why you never showed it."

With an eyebrow raised, she glanced at the brunette. "Since when has my method of smiling ever concerned you?"

"Since the time," –Jin pointed out, "you smiled your first genuine smile to your very own captain."

-That's chapter 5! Please read and review!


	6. The Facade Masking Your Smile

(I don't own Bleach and if I did, Toushiro Hitsugaya would have been a lot taller and Aizen would have been dead years ago!)

Chapter 6 – The Façade Masking Your Smile

"Where," twitching, Diva's face somehow managed to stay in its poker expression, "did you get that kind of information?"

Realizing that he hit a nerve, Jin continued to prod. "Simple, I have sources everywhere. Diva-sama, it's not a bad thing when you smile. I mean, you've been poker faced and serious for as long as I remember."

"She smiled in front of her captain?" Passing a glance towards a glaring Diva, Reika smiled in her ever so innocent way, "when?"

"Well, she did. When they were about to pass the sentence and he revoked it for her, there! Didn't you guys see? That was a genuine smile," –Jin pointed out excitedly, "that's a once in a lifetime moment and not many people get to see Soul Society's angel smile."

The silver haired teen looked away. "You've seen me smile a lot, Kanagura-san," –her voice was becoming weaker and quieter, "what's the difference? No one notices it, right? So, what's the point?"

"There **is**," emphasizing on this 'is', Jin's tone got serious as soon as he began scolding her, "a difference when you smile truly and when it's fake."

Sighing in defeat, Diva didn't reply while she then wanted to ask. "I've always wanted to ask," Pointing to a vase full of blue roses, she asked, "since when have you guys started dyeing roses? There's no such thing as blue roses in either the human world or Soul Society."

Jin's look became puzzled. "Now where the hell did you get the idea that I had artistic talent?"

"Taichou," mumbled Miko, "that wasn't from us."

Surprise made itself evident of the princess' face. "But," –looking around, she justified, "you guys are the only ones here and the only ones who visit me. Shana, Reika, did you two make this?"

Shana shook her head. "I can't make something that pretty, Mama."

"Nee-san," ruefully smiled Reika, "there's no way in hell that a kidou can make something that beautiful. Believe me," she pointed to a purplish bruise on her hand, "I've tried."

Diva was completely confused; who would give her such beautiful flowers? Most of all, why? She just had betrayed people's trust and now she's getting gifts from someone she didn't even know. The princess stood up and picked one of the flowers; they were real and most of all, they weren't even wilting despite the deprivation of water. "Who made this," –her curiosity then began biting her, "and why?"

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

"Shirou-chan, you could've at least left a card," whined the fifth division lieutenant, Momo Hinamori.

The tenth squad captain sighed in defeat; it was really a bad idea to bring Momo along when it came to giving gifts otherwise she was going to tell him to leave a note or something. For Diva, flowers were already good enough to spark up her room a little. "Momo," –he let out a sigh of annoyance, "maybe its best we let her wonder for awhile, I mean," –his emerald green eyes looked into the sky, "I don't think a princess needs to trouble herself with such matters such as an anonymous sender."

"Toushiro," her tone became serious.

When he turned around, this was the first time he had seen Momo very serious about something and that was quite rare. "You like her don't you? You always look after her and you have this glow in your eyes when you see her. When you saw her bleeding," –she took a step forward; making her tone more firm like a mother to her teenage son, "you had this forlorn look in your eyes and you were ready to gnaw out Aizen-san's guts. That's something I don't see very often in you, Toushiro."

For Momo to use his first name without any suffix proved just how serious she was; Hitsugaya however was in no mood to reveal the secret. At first, upon seeing Diva in her male version, he noticed how different she was in manner and he could've sworn that for a guy; she looks more like a girl. Then now, the expression of concern for her teammates, the way she addressed others outside from her friends and how she related to people were so much different. In fact, he felt a lot warmer around her and somehow, he just wanted to stay next to her.

"_Good gracious_," –thought Hitsugaya, _"I think I lost it."_

He recalled what he saw in the hospital room that day; her smile was very warm and compassionate to her members. Though the tenth division and the eleventh division weren't exactly on good terms, Diva treated Jin with kindness that was only evident in Unohana and everyone knew that even the fourth division captain had her sadist days. "Shirou-chan," –Momo cut in smoothly, "I think you really do like her," there was a hint of cheerfulness in her voice.

Now that Momo knew about it, he had to make sure this secret maintained on a low profile or otherwise, he falling in love with a noble would produce an escalandré far beyond repairable for the both of them. For all he knew, she was already engaged to someone.

"_You're having quite a heyday in trying to understand your feelings for the silver angel aren't you?" _drawled a voice at the back of his head.

Hitsugaya growled. "Shut up, Hyourinmaru. You're not making my life any better by taunting me."

"_Ouch,"_ –faking hurt, the dragon continued, _"is that how you treat a zanpakuto who has been serving you for years? But really, Hitsugaya-san," _–his tone became more serious and firm, _"your feelings for the third seat are quite evident even though it looks like a sibling relationship when everyone will soon know it is not. Although, you better get to her; everyone here isn't blind you know. Unless you include Tousen but if he were here, he could tell the facial features of the third seat quite well."_

Twitching, Hitsugaya didn't like the sound of that. "What are you implying there, you overgrown lizard?"

"_Jin's getting quite close to her and so are Hisagi and the others," ­_–remarked the dragon offhandedly, _"I've been hearing from their zanpakuto that even Kira has dreams about her every once in awhile. I'm not surprised although, she is very beautiful. I wouldn't expect less from Soul Society's future queen."_

Hitsugaya was really willing to pummel Hyourinmaru until he heard Momo calling him. "Shirou-chan, what did Hyourinmaru say?"

Dismissing the topic, Hitsugaya just rearranged his hilt. "It's nothing, Hinamori. Let's keep going, we have duties to fill."

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

At the Kuchiki household, Byakuya was fairing no better in keeping his emotions quiet. Though his face remained impassive as always, his mind was racing while Miko became even more naïve and more oblivious to what he felt. He mentally kicked himself often for not being even able to not maintain his composure in front of her or even a few meters away from her.

"_So"_ –crooned the pink flowered zanpakuto, _"you're more or less confused with what you're feeling for the girl. I'm not surprised though," _moving deeper into his mind, Senbonzakura had a triumphant grin displayed across her face, _"if I was your teacher and displaying your emotions was an academic subject, I would've given you an F minus, Byakuya-kun."_

His reiatsu surged with annoyance. "You're not helping, Senbonzakura."

A musical laughter filled his mind. _"Am I supposed to, Byakuya-kun?"_

He thought he had kept all his bases covered; there was no unnecessary things that bothered him and now this was biting him in the ass and he knew he didn't like the feeling of it. Miko had been going out a lot due to her loyalty to her taichou although the group that Diva now leads was just a club and her leaving day in and day out, that condition was not helping the situation and making it any better. "Honestly," –thought Byakuya, "Don't you have anything better to do? Go bug another zanpakuto or something."

"_Good idea, maybe I should bug Fukitsu and ask her on how Miko feels for you," _Senbonzakura smiled evilly.

Byakuya was about to lose his temper but in doing so would be rising to the bait that his zanpakuto was now hanging in front of him. She wanted him to slip so she could easily tell the others on what he felt. Standing up from his desk, Byakuya headed outside to the estate gardens where the cherry blossoms were in full bloom. He remembered that when Miko and he were a lot smaller, they had so much fun just playing with the petals. He noticed that despite Miko looking somewhat like a thirteen year old; her understanding and kindness was beyond her age but as far as he was concerned, her awareness was left much to be desired. "Somehow, if that law didn't exist," –thought Byakuya, "I wonder, would Hisana still be alive and would Rukia have never met Kurosaki? I wonder what the world would look like by then."

"_Now is not that time to dwell on probabilities,_" –warned Senbonzakura, _"keep your eye on the prize, Byakuya-kun. Also, don't forget about the war. Her zanpakuto is not very ordinary and she might be Aizen's next target."_

Shaking his head away from doubts, Byakuya continued to walk through the garden wondering about his slave. All he could do now was wait and maybe have a little hope left for the situation.

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

Ukitake on the other hand was searching thoroughly through his files; Reika had become quite a matter ever since he saw her zanpakuto. Everyone in Soul Society feared her; it was to be expected seeing that her zanpakuto fed on the sufferings from hell. However, behind her smiling face, he could see that she aching all over; hiding her pain and running away from her problems.

Despite having Sentaro and Kiyone cheer her up, nothing seemed to make her really roll on the floor and laugh. Rukia and she had become good friends and despite Reika's seniority over the princess, it seemed that she held a great deal of respect for her kohai. Come to think of it, Ukitake thought, Reika and Miko are older than Jin, Diva and Shana yet they follow their kohai more.

"Ukitake-taichou," a loud voice rang from the door, "may I have permission to enter?"

The voice was recognizable to Ukitake as he beckoned. "It's open."

Sentaro entered caring a load of papers that he had finished working on. "I can't believe Reika-san's been ditching paper work," –grumbling like a child, the bearded third seat set the papers down, "she's always been going to the hospital and we haven't even heard from her yet."

It was no surprise to Ukitake; Reika had covered his bases and made sure that she informed him about her daily visits to the hospital. Now that the paperwork was getting heavier, Ukitake seriously needed Reika's help this moment otherwise he would be drowned by paper. "Sentaro," his voice being accommodating, "you can just set them there; I'll just sign them and maybe look for my lieutenant while I'm at it."

However, that didn't seem to be necessary since a hell moth had entered the room had begun to blare. "All squads resume to your posts! There has been a security breach in Karakura Town; five Vastrolorde level hollows have been detected! I repeat: All squads resume to your posts! There has been a security breach in Karakura Town; five Vastrolorde level hollows have been detected!"

Jumping up from his desk, Ukitake made sure he was on his best day and made sure that his body could handle what was going to happen. Aizen was breaching their forces little by little and if he kept it up, it would be the end of Soul Society.

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

"Nee-san," asked the tangerine haired girl, "are you sure you're fine with battling in your injured state? I mean, your leg isn't in its best condition and your forte is more speed. Do you really think you can put up a fight?"

Diva suited up into her uniform. "I can manage," –admitting it mildly, "as long as there are now weird ceros I don't know about then, I can finish the match in maybe at the least fifteen minutes."

Shana picked up her zanpakuto. "Do you think it's a good idea? To go into Karakura Town with everyone because Aizen no baka might just breach Soul Society's walls and everyone here knows that he's not alone in that matter."

Miko nodded. "Yeah, taichou," –her voice becomes meek, "I think you should stay here and just send coordinates. I mean, Shana and I are the Bad Luck pair! You made us the most powerful pair in the team and you can just give the coordinates."

"Yeah," –smirked Jin, "you don't need to worry. I can watch over Reika and make sure she doesn't break her skinny little arms. Ouji-sama here really needs a work out." However, this comment earned him a whack on the head by Reika who was armed with an unknown wooden club. "Jin, you should really learn how to shut up," –turning to Diva, "Nee-san, you should rest and I know you got a pride issue being a warrior but you have to remember: A smart warrior is someone who knows how to get home in one piece and not missing a limb."

"Or a brain cell," Miko concluded, "which is why, Jin failed the strategy application exam."

"Hey! I'm not that stupid! I at least know how to predict projectiles!"

"Minna," Diva tried to stop the argument, "you better get going. As suggested, I will try to anticipate the attacks of the opponent although I might not be as accurate due to the realm barriers."

Shana grinned cheerfully and fool-hardily. "We take percentage! We're cool with that."

"Just stay back," –warned Jin with a mocking smirk, "lest you want to end up missing an arm."

Diva's smile broadened. "If you guys try something that scrupulous then rest assured; you're all going to be running laps around the First Division until the cows come home."

The thought of that scared them at the same time; Diva had an oh-so-innocent smile on her face with her silver eyes gleaming evilly. Picking up her claymore, Diva then checked her ribs and everything else if all her wounds wouldn't open during an unfortunate time. So far, she seemed fine. She wanted this war to end as soon as possible and maybe return peace to Soul Society.

At the thought of this, she smiled at the dream.

"Minna, ikuze!" ordered Diva and the team followed after her.

As the hell moth stated, there were five Arrancars but never did the Shinigami expect the arrancar to use Karakura Town as a playground for their stupid antics. Soi Fon had already alerted the dark corps to eliminate them but more hollow seemed to appear while they continued slaying. Kenpachi had ordered his men to kill anything within range as long as it wasn't human, Byakuya had dispersed his men in different places, Kyoraku had ordered some of his members to support Captain Soi Fon and Captain Ukitake supported both Komamura's and Yamamoto's men and Captain Hitsugaya had the fifth squad with him that was also supported by the fourth squad.

"Matsumoto, let's---Fukurou, what are you doing here," demanded the tenth squad captain.

Diva's smile became rueful. "I wanted to help, taichou. I'm sorry but," –taking out her weapon, "I will not follow your orders during this ordeal."

Hitsugaya sighed at Diva's stubbornness; if it was one thing she had, it was a hard head. Jin, Miko, Shana and Reika formed a battle formation and awaited her orders. The captains now put their focus into protecting the sole heir to the throne but somehow, she didn't seem to need it because all her teammates were escaping from battle without a scratch. They dealt limitless damage only to find out that many of the hollows were being attracted and soon most of them found themselves cornered. However, their hides were saved by Ichigo and his group and that's where for the first time, Shana saw someone like her.

A Quincy whose accuracy quickly surpassed hers in every manner.

Ichigo yelled. "Everyone alright?"

"We're fine," yelled Renji, "let's just kick ass as soon as possible!"

The reinforcements wasted no time in doing so and ended up beating many of the hollows. However, Diva was separated from her group and was partnered up with Matsumoto who was more than willing to make sure she gets back in one piece. The arrancar blasted cero here and there only to find a very pissed off short white haired captain freezing the floor. "Fukurou," –he said with concern hidden in his voice, "be careful next time. I don't want you bleeding all over your uniform."

She nodded weakly. "Ah, hai."

Sheathing his sword, the ice slowly began to crawl all over the streets and Matsumoto sliced her way through. Miko and Byakuya on the other hand were sending kidou spells and techniques but the hollows kept coming. Shana made a mad dash for it only to find herself cornered and she ducked with her life flashing before her eyes.

"You should be more careful you know," a velvet voice curtly cut in.

Arrows flew above her head and saw the hollows being driven away. The Quincy stood next to her while watching them move away. "You're partially a Quincy aren't you?"

She nodded stiffly. "Who are you?"

"Uryuu Ishida," was all he said, "You better make sure you know how to deal with things like this."

The little girl nodded as she continued attacking. "Spread, Shinijikumaru!"

The frilled lizard appeared and continued attacking the hollows surrounding her and Uryuu who seemed to be watching her back and they fought with perfect synchronization that it was almost scary. Shana didn't know what to do exactly but she knew that she couldn't burden herself on her friends. They too were fighting for their lives and the only sensible thing she could do was to fight for hers as well.

Ichigo on the other hand had to hear the whole story from Rukia about Diva. How she got there and how she managed to fight better than him. Ichigo was more or less impressed by her graceful movements that wasted no energy at all. "Wow," –he smirked, "she might actually be a better teacher than you are, Rukia," –pointing towards the four, "she taught them and look how well they're fighting."

This earned him a slap on the head. "Whatever, Kurosaki! Watch what you're doing!"

The orange haired Shinigami then swung his sword once more; taking out more hollows than usual. He then also saw the tenth squad captain expressing worry for the silver haired third seat. He also noticed that the stoic captain of Squad Six expressed worry for his fifth seat who was trying to fight her way through. He smirked. "There's something that's happening between those four. I'd like to know what."

The battle continued; Diva and Hitsugaya fought alongside each other in perfect sync until another arrancar decided to gash Hitsugaya's back. "Wow, mini-taichou-san isn't as strong as they say he is! I don't understand the reason why they hold such respect for such a puny guy."

"It's not me," gasped Hitsugaya," the one you should be scared of is," –his eyes closed and he heard the arrancar howl in pain.

Diva's silver eyes were cold and emotionless while a bright crimson colour coated Shukumei. "I'm not intimidated by the likes of you."

Growling in anger, he lifted his hand to crush the smaller fighter however, Diva's image faded as he found multiple Divas striking him with insane speed. Hitsugaya smiled. "She's not the only one who could deal that kind of damage," he then landed his sword perfectly on the hollow's shoulder; taking out its arm very easily.

Byakuya on the other hand ordered. "Mi— I mean, Shougetsu, bring out your zanpakuto!"

The blonde nodded; however, before she could take such action, another hollow had blocked her path and the only thing she could do is let out a shrilly shriek. Using her arms to block the impact, it never came only to find Shana with an annoyed look on her face. "You're pathetic! Why can't you even defend yourself!?"

"Mi," under all the pressure, Miko hung her head, "I'm sorry. This is the first time so many hollow had decided to swarm me."

"No duh," rolling his eyes, Jin kicked another one, "you're standing there like a flagpole and the statue of liberty! You're like a sign that says "eat me, I'm loaded with reiatsu". Geez, you're nothing but a burden to Kuchiki-taichou if you keep that up."

Pissed off with Jin's tactlessness, Reika swat him on the head while her crimson hair brushed past her face. "Don't listen to him. His mind's not on complete focus today. I mean," –shrugging, the older Shinigami added, "he does have a point too, you know. Pull yourself, Shougetsu Miko. We can't always have Diva as our pillar of support. I know she's been there for us all the time but we got to step up our game too!"

The four agreed while their captains continued slaying hollows one after the other. However, Shana's mind was on something else. She was still wondering about the Quincy who had saved her life and recognized her as a Quincy as well. Her bow wasn't that obvious yet again, her style was quite obvious that she was a Quincy.

"Uryuu Ishida," she thought, "he sounds cool."

"Hoshikaze Shana," yelled the vice captain, "stop staring off into nothingness and pair up with Miko!"

Shana nodded while she watched the Quincy from afar while Unohana had continued to support the others. Miko on the other hand made a mad dash for life while Jin continued to pun about Reika's "skinny arms". Diva on the other hand was trying to compensate for all the wounds and little did they realize that someone was there planning the counter attack and only someone up there knows when it was going to happen.

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

Meanwhile, Aizen had been watching from afar once again as his newest creations were destroyed one after the other. He had never realized that Soul Society would gain so many new powerful recruits in one sitting. However, that wasn't what his mind was focused on. His mind was focused more on the decaying Hogyoku. He had to find some way on how to keep it alive and how to make sure it was still usable. But, he already had formed a plan in his mind and the plan was to get the girl who could reject time and space.

Inoue Orihime.

A rueful smile made its way to his face. She was too protected and he had to find a way how to separate their forces and he also had an alternative if Orihime failed. It was to find the legendary Waterfall of Spirits and only one person knew how to find it.

The princess herself, Diva Fukurou.

He also noticed that there were slight changes in the captains ever since he started his rebellion. Hitsugaya had been more open and was protecting both Hinamori and Fukurou. His reactions towards them were completely different and he wanted to use these two against him. He knew that if Hinamori were hostage and was threatened, that would render Hitsugaya completely useless. However, he remembered that the princess was gifted with insight and knew that he might resort to that but he also planned to use another target. Someone who wasn't really expected to be used.

At this plan, a maniacal grin came into play.

"Aizen-sama," called a low voice.

There stood the Quatro Espada, Ulquiorra Schiffer with his usual poker face and Aizen beckoned him in. "So, are the forces prepared yet?"

"Indeed they are, Aizen-sama," replied Ulquiorra while bowing.

"Good," Aizen smirked with a thought. _"At least I know now which one to target and which one not to."_

-That's Chapter 6! Please review!


	7. Kidnapping Inoue

(I don't own Bleach! If I did, I would have made more good looking guys!)

Chapter 7 – Kidnapping Inoue

The battle was a long one; Byakuya had slain more than he could count but they kept coming. It was as if they were fighting an endless sea of spiders. Renji howled. "Tell me, how do these manage to keep reproducing??? It's like they have a mommy or something!"

Everyone knew that they were fighting a battle that could go on forever. Hitsugaya couldn't find the source either and Diva was already handicapped by her injuries. Miko wasn't doing too well despite having Shana as her partner and Jin wasn't faring too well either no matter how much liked application tests. Reika was running low on reiatsu and so were many of the other captains. The crimson haired girl saw that she was reaching her limit as she saw her hair changing back to its normal colour. Timing had to be cruel sometimes.

"_Mistress, have you ever thought of trying to use a normal shikai?" _warned Shukketsu Boumei-sha.

"I would've," growled a very exasperated Reika, "If my zanpakuto allowed it!"

However, Diva was focusing on different matters such as finding the source of the hollow spree. Before she could dart, a sharp pain came from her right shoulder and the wound in her rib began to open as well. She collapsed to the ground on one knee trying to alleviate the pain in both areas of her body. Hitsugaya noticed it and rushed to her but she yelled. "Taichou, get down now!"

"What—?" Hitsugaya ducked and Diva slashed the hollow that was above him but that forced her wounds open even farther than before.

"_Mistress, your wounds!" _cried out a very concerned Shukumei.

"I'm fine," protested the princess though she was still clutching her body in pain. Then, she had realized all this time, she had let her guard down and she was surrounded by several hollows who were more than willing to eat her alive. "Oh great, not now…"

However, once again she found herself saved by both Matsumoto and Hitsugaya who were more than happy to help. "Be careful next time," warned Hitsugaya, "unless you want to be found missing a limb. Why didn't you stay in Squad Four???"

Diva's poker face remained evident. "I'm perfectly fine."

Hitsugaya sighed at the condition of his third seat as she struggled to fight and he knew that both parties were not willing to argue. But, the sight of her fighting aroused even something more intimate. Hitsugaya watched her struggle through everything and this time, he wasn't about to let the same thing happen again. He had already gotten Momo injured once and Diva shouldn't be another on the list. Flash stepping towards her, Hitsugaya put her in a more remote place on the battlefield in order to pull her out of the way.

"–Taichou, what are you???" Diva's eyes flashed, "What are you trying to do?"

Hitsugaya left the princess completely unanswered and left her to deal with some lower ranked hollows while he took down the Arrancars.

"Pretty wise choice," replied a stoic voice behind him.

Hitsugaya turned to see Byakuya and him leaning back to back. "I couldn't let the princess get even more injured," reasoned the smaller captain, "otherwise, we'd be doomed if we left her like that."

Byakuya watched Hitsugaya slay another while the hollows continued to surround the Shinigami. What they didn't realize was that there was another plan putting itself at work. While they busy slaying hollows, Aizen had been working his forces in elsewhere and it seemed that only Reika had noticed that. She dodged most of them and found Arrancars passing through a corner and heading towards one of the houses. "Shit, you're not going anywhere!" However, they vanished once more and surprised Reika by flashing behind her. "Oh no…!"

However, the two Arrancars fell and she found her captain sheepishly smiling. "Are you alright, Reika-chan?"

The tangerine haired girl nodded and followed after her captain but she couldn't help but wonder that there was something wrong. She turned around to check how many of the Ryoka there were and realized that there was someone missing but she couldn't pinpoint who.

"It's Inoue-san who's missing," calmly replied a voice.

She turned around and saw Diva leaning against the wall. She saw that her leader's kimono was a mess and her silver hair was all over her face. "Inoue-san is the healer among the Ryoka like how Unohana and Miko are to us, Shinigami. However –," her eyes darted from battle to battle, "like you said and probably felt, there's something missing here and since we're the only two who noticed it, we might as well try and find the girl."

However, their conversation and plans were cut when they found Ichigo flying towards them and a blue haired arrancar grinning evilly at him. "Wow, is this what the great Ichigo Kurosaki is only capable of? Boy am I ashamed," –clucking his tongue, "I should've have fought the smaller guy or even the big Mexican macho over there instead."

This infuriated the orange haired Shinigami who only collapsed after trying to even stand on his feet. Diva motioned, "Yuchizawa, find Inoue."

"Huh? You can't take this guy!" protested the tangerine haired girl.

"I can," –a small smile tugged at her lips, Diva turned around, "which is why I appointed the tensai of the team to go track the missing healer. If we lose her," –shaking her head, "no, I shouldn't say that. We will definitely find her. We have to maintain our advantage after all."

Reika nodded and sped off but there were a few words from her buchou that rang in her head.

"Don't get careless, Reika."

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

Reika flashed from building to building yet still no sign of the healer. "Damn, where can that big breasted air head be??? I mean," –searching desperately, Reika increased her rhythm, "she's gotta have something that will make her stick out like a sore thumb."

"_Which is why, I believe that is the reason why Fukurou-buchou entitled you as the 'Radar' of the Execution Squad. Remember that team name? You made that team name remember?" _drawled her zanpakuto.

Smirking, Reika's lavender eyes flashed into a bloodshot red with her hair also turning red and veins revealing themselves at her temples. "Looks like I have to resort to this. I never liked this power, it made me look like a monster," –flashing from building again and again, she finally found a trace of Orihime's energy talking to Ulquiorra and she heard the entire conversation. This battle wasn't real, it was all an illusion. What they were fighting were just illusions. Reika darted back and then was cornered by another hollow.

A hollow then suddenly dropped in front of her with a sneer. "Where do you think you're going?"

"Away," –smirking, Reika's voice became more masculine, "after I kick your filthy ass and knee you in the jewels!"

"Hey," yelled a voice, "leave some for me! I wanna score at the jewels too!"

Reika saw a very maniacal Jin who had his hatchet axe swinging left and right. The brunette cracked his neck in two directions while grabbed Reika. "Come on, Miss Skinny Arms! You gotta tell Fukurou what you just heard or are ya chicken?"

A vein popped at the side of Reika's head. "I am not chicken and my arms are not that skinny!"

Chasing after the brunette with three times her speed, Reika made sure that Jin would get a severe thrashing from her when they got back. However, what she was more disturbed by was what she heard between Inoue and the arrancar.

"_I will go with you, just don't hurt any of my friends!"_

Reika began to speed up; calling out to Jin, she flash stepped once again. "Jin, get your lazy ass here right now! I have no time to argue with a thick headed ass like you!"

"Hey!"

Finally, when both Reika and Jin reached the battlefield, the hollows were still multiplying and before they could say anything, they themselves were attacked by more. It was too late; the battle had ended and most of the Shinigami were in the worst possible situation. All the captains were a mess and so were the lower ranks. Reika muttered. "Damn! I came too late! I took too long in trying to track down that sorry bitch!" She then saw her captain forcing her body to heal faster by expelling as much reiatsu as she could. "Taichou, what are you…!"

Diva's wounds slowly vanished but the deeper ones made a bigger impression on her. Blood splattered on the floor and Miko wasn't in excellent condition either. She was dirty all over with cuts and bruises though Reika believed that ninety percent of her wounds came from her klutziness and not from the battle itself. Shana was quietly whimpering after Unohana was trying to fix her fractured wrist while Jin was busy getting scolded by both Ayasegawa and Ikkaku for suddenly vanishing again.

Hitsugaya checked on both Matsumoto, who was busy bandaging up and Diva who had been forcefully healing herself the entire time. "Matsumoto, take it easy and especially you," –pointing at Diva, "I'm going to have to tell Unohana to lock you up in the room next time."

Smiling weakly, the silver haired girl nodded. "That's not going to work but okay; I'll stay put next time."

"You better," scratching his head, Hitsugaya walked away with a thought. "You sure know how to make people worry."

Approaching Unohana, Hitsugaya asked. "Unohana-taichou, did you lock the doors in Diva's room?"

"Well, yes," Unohana gave him a quizzical look, "why do you ask?"

Hitsugaya passed a look to his third seat. "Can you at least double bolt it and put a very strong force field around it? I think she's going to try this escapade again. Knowing her," –he looked back at Unohana; "she's pretty sharp and can break all sorts of shield unless it's cast by a higher ranking captain."

"Well," –she looked at Diva also, "I don't think she'll try it again. She's not in good enough condition to even break a simple kidou spell right now."

Byakuya on the other hand didn't want to be treated until Miko was treated first. The blonde kept refusing until a strict glare forced her to accept the treatment. Finally, Byakuya then allowed himself to be treated after Miko was running around again.

"Boy, taichou," –commented his red headed lieutenant, "you sure give her a lot of priority."

"I have to," answered the very expressionless captain, "she is a member of my squad after all."

"Yeah, but you give more priority to her than me!"

Byakuya remained silent at Renji's comment and continued to search the area for hollows and luckily, there were none. He then got up and went towards Miko who was trying to heal up the others. "Shougetsu, how are your injuries?"

The blonde smiled cheerfully. "It's nothing to be worried about, Kuchiki-sama. I'm fine really!"

He couldn't help but worry over Miko's naivety but he also noticed Hitsugaya's worry over Diva's thick headedness. He also noticed Juushiro worrying over Reika's sudden disappearance once again and Unohana firmly talking to Shana to make sure Diva stayed in her room at all costs unless she wants her dead which was a no-no for everyone. Isane was checking on Diva who kept saying she was fine. "You don't need to worry about me, Isane-san! I'm fine. I can heal myself. It's just a little –," earning herself a glare from Isane, Diva relented to Isane in treating her broken ribs.

Shana then began treating the others and Miko was also tending to her taichou's wounds. "Buchou, you should learn how to take it easy! You said that you were going to be on the sidelines today!"

Diva shrugged. "I guess I was a little tempted today and I gave into temptation."

Miko sighed while she continued to bandage up her taichou while Yamamoto checked the seriousness of the situation. So far, nothing was bad until they heard news from another Shinigami: Orihime was seen and was taken by another arrancar. They realized then on that the hollows were just a diversion for them so that they could attack their real target: Inoue Orihime.

Realizing that they had now lost the battle, the Shinigami were forced to retreat back to Soul Society. Yamamoto's orders thundered through the ranks. "All squads return back to your divisions. All will await my orders and this includes the Ryoka and his group."

"But," before Ichigo could protest about Orihime getting kidnapped, Rukia silenced him with a look that said. "Not now."

Renji followed after Byakuya and Miko while Matsumoto and Hitsugaya helped Diva get around and Shana and Reika returned back with Unohana and Juushiro respectively. Miko saw the seriousness written all over Byakuya's face while she followed him. "Kuchiki-sama, can I ask you something?"

"What?"

She looked down while quietly mumbling. "What happens to Inoue-san now? Are we going to let her stay kidnapped?"

Byakuya stated flatly. "The fact that she willingly went with the arrancar makes her no obligation to us. However, I have a feeling that your other taichou and Kurosaki would think otherwise."

Miko kept quiet after that and she was definitely sure that her taichou or rather, her buchou (since their group was more of a club now) would agree to saving Orihime rather than letting her stay kidnapped and in the hands of Aizen. Problem was, not all of the Shinigami are able to fight and most of the stronger ones were badly hurt. She checked the other members and most of them were being tended to by Isane. She sighed and continued to walk until she reached her division to tend to the other paper work that might be piling at her desk. However, she was still bugged by what happened. What exactly was Aizen after?

"_Power is all he wants, Shougetsu. Honestly," _­–a voice purred at the back of her head, _"what do you think we should do in order to beat him? Like what Unohana mentioned to white and shorty, Diva is in no condition to even break a simple kidou spell otherwise she might just bleed herself to death. Unless you have a better plan, Miko-san, you might as well go with mine which is infiltrate, kick a couple of hollows' asses and don't die."_

She couldn't deny that Fukitsu did have a point but she wanted to consult Diva first. After all, the silver haired princess had always been the whistle blower of the team and so far, she was never wrong. "Demo, Fukitsu-san, if we don't do anything he could strike with the Hogyoku anytime he chooses. We need to act now."

"_What do you intend on doing then?"_

Miko then fell silent once more. She was completely clueless as she remembered the time he infiltrated. They couldn't even lay a finger and Diva only managed to touch him and then get hit a thousand times harder than her attack. Jin was no use either, Reika desperately tried to find a way and Shana was still unstable. In other words, they were sitting ducks and they were about to get killed by Aizen unless they could come up with something. "Do you think that I could get some training from Abarai-san?"

"_That sounds good. I mean, he's one of the very few tolerable ones," ­_–quipped Fukitsu, _"but I'm still uneasy about one thing."_

"Which is?"

Fukitsu let out a sigh. _"Miko-chan, did you notice that he didn't want to kill Diva but he focused more on sealing her attacks? What is Diva's purpose in his plan? If we don't figure this out, one fatal mistake could get us all killed. I too want this war over with but somehow, Aizen still needs something that can open the realm of the king. Despite him having the Hogyoku, there's something he's missing and we don't even know what."_

Miko nodded sullenly. "So, what do we do now, Fukitsu?"

"_I'd go with your idea," _–agreeing with Miko, Fukitsu changed back into her small fuzz ball form, _"I hope you don't mind if I walk around a little. My legs have been wanting to stretch and I'd like to see the world asides from being a whistle on your neck. I'm sure Abarai-san wouldn't have much of a problem training you. You already have the power; he just needs to help you learn how to use it."_

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"I told you that you should've stayed put and there you go, running like a mad man and getting more wounds that would cut through you," –letting out a frustrated sigh, Hitsugaya continued to scold Diva for being so reckless and thick headed, "I don't know how you manage to lead a team and here you are, you can't even take a simple order such as "sit still and wait". What part of "you're still a mess" don't you get?"

Diva smiled weakly. "Gomen taichou, I just wanted to help. Besides, the more firepower you have, the easier it is to finish a simple battle."

Hitsugaya wanted to really tie her up to her bed so she wouldn't get out but Matsumoto restrained him from doing so. The strawberry blonde haired woman laughed ruefully. "It's true but Diva-sama," she started.

"Drop the "sama"," interrupted Diva.

"Whatever, but he's right; you're a mess and if you keep pushing yourself this way," Matsumoto let out a defeated sigh, "you'll only be a hindrance to others and yourself. I know you want to help others but right now, you could help us by recovering into your full state again."

These three have been arguing over Diva's escapade ever since her last ditch attempt to help people. Finally, the princess conceded to stay. "Alright, I'll stay for this time. I'll wait til I can break higher level kidou and when I won't bleed like a running faucet. But, there's something you two need to know," –before the two left, Diva smiled weakly, "don't get careless. Aizen's a man of many tricks. He's already got Orihime; don't let him take anyone else."

"I won't," Matsumoto smiled in an assuring way.

"You have my word, Diva," promised Hitsugaya.

The princess nodded while succumbed into a deep sleep after. Hitsugaya closed the door carefully and walked alongside Matsumoto heading back. "She's got a head thicker than steel. I could've sworn we'd spent half our time arguing with her."

Matsumoto winked. "Her head's probably as thick as yours, taichou. I also noticed something: how come you can't even make eye contact with her?"

Hitsugaya blushed furiously at the accusation. "What?"

"Face it," –Matsumoto flicked his forehead which she got a glare for, "you can't look at her because you like her. In fact, you're already at the infatuation stage, taichou. I thought it was you and Momo until her heart really stuck to Aizen. That was dead bolt rejection but Diva; I can tell she genuinely cares for anybody she associates with especially for that noisy brunette guy from Squad Eleven, no matter how many times he's probably dissed her off more than I can imagine."

Hitsugaya now avoided eye contact with Matsumoto. "That's true," he mumbled quietly.

Matsumoto placed her hands on her hips in triumph. "Besides taichou, have you ever seen anyone like this? I saw this in both your eyes; when your eyes and hers met, I saw a silent conversation and not many people have that. The only reason why you probably don't get it is because both of you are dancing circles around one another," with a mischievous wink, Matsumoto grinned. "Want me to go in between?"

Hitsugaya hissed. "Do that and I will pile all the paper work on you."

"Mou~," whined Matsumoto, "taichou, don't be so mean. I'm just trying to help."

Hitsugaya gave her a firm reply. "I'd rather do things my way."

Matsumoto followed after her shorter superior and couldn't help but wonder. Why didn't Aizen kill her when he had the chance? Not that she wanted it but rather, it troubled all of them and she wanted to know the answer to it. Looking at her zanpakuto, Haineko had been acting mighty peculiar as well; it was as if the ash cat had sensed a load of spiritual disruption in Soul Society and they didn't even know what it was. Also, their zanpakuto's power have increased tenfold than it usual had. Normally, Matsumoto wouldn't have been able to cut through three buildings but this time, she cut through six of them. Hitsugaya also managed to freeze anything he came contact with and some of the other lieutenants had also increased in power subconsciously. "Taichou, did you notice anything weird today such as…?"

"A sudden increase in power," Hitsugaya stopped dead in his tracks, "you mean?"

She nodded numbly while he smirked. "It was quite easy to notice it, there's only one explanation for it though."

"Which is?"

"Ever since Diva revealed her true power to us," –explained the younger one, "it seems like her powers have been dripping off to us. So, technically, we're not draining her. What we're taking from her is her excess power. That's why we've been getting stronger, Matsumoto. There's no other explanation and that doesn't mean we constantly have to rely on her. It's supposed to be the other way around."

"She's no Cinderella," commented Matsumoto, "ever heard of a princess who wielded a sword three times her size?"

"No," smirked Hitsugaya although the last part of his sentence wasn't really heard, "which makes her the all more unique."

"What was that, taichou," leaning in, Matsumoto teased in a sing song voice, "I can't hear you."

Hitsugaya twitched at what she was doing and began walking briskly after that. It was quite evident that there was a huge vein popping at his head while Matsumoto began to endlessly tease him about his infatuation with the princess.

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"Hey, Diva-nee-san," cheekily called Shana while she set down a tray of food, "I know it's not royal buffet quality but, eat up!"

Smiling gently, Diva took the food. "Thank you, just set it aside." After that, she continued looking out the window with a mournful smile.

Shana noticed the sadness in Diva's eyes while looking at the bright sun. The Shinigami-Quincy tried to cheer her up. "Y'know, it's such a bright day outside! Maybe you should go for a walk but only in Squad Four division. I mean, you shouldn't worry so much."

"I can't help it," Diva admitted mildly, "its part of me; I've been worrying over so many things because I have always been the pillar of support. It's my job to keep everyone safe and I will not falter as a princess, a Shinigami and a buchou of the Execution Squad. I would even spill blood of those who threaten the safety of my people. But, we must end this war now; whether they like it or not, we have to stop Aizen before he tears up the dimensions piece by piece."

Shana pointed out. "Erm buchou, they're not rejecting that idea. They just don't want you dead, that's all."

Diva took her stance while her body was slightly bit wobbly. She handed Shana her crest. "I need you to do me a favour. I want you to go to the library and ask if they have files of the Hogyoku, Aizen and the Waterfall of Spirits."

Shana was dumbfounded. "Eh? What for? You already know almost everything about the Waterfall of Spirits!"

"Not everything," –sitting back on the bed, Diva stated, "there's something we're missing because even I know that you can't just tear open that dimension by using Shukumei alone. I know you need the King's Key but there's something else there that doesn't seem to be right. The King's Key is only opening the dimension leading to the king or rather, my uncle. From what I read, the Waterfall of Spirits is nowhere near there. It's like," letting out a frustrated sigh, Diva dismissed her. "Just get any document about it and don't worry, I won't run anywhere."

Shana nodded and before she closed the door, she yelled, "Yeah! You better not!"

Diva now sat alone in the room without much to do. She looked at the mysterious blue roses that were as fragrant and as fresh as ever. Touching it, the petals caressed her hands gently until she tried to trace the power of the rose. It wasn't spray paint and it had some reiryouku emitting from it. She thought. "Well, if I can't do anything physically right now, I guess the best thing I can do now is learn how to trace and control reiatsu."

Upon tracing it, a vague image appeared in her mind. She was definitely sure it was a boy who gave it to her and next to him was a young girl also. Their shadows were familiar but she couldn't hear their voice. If only she could, she could nail it on who were the mysterious flower delivery boy and girl. Looking at it once more, she thought that there were only two zanpakuto she knew that could accomplish something like this: Sode no Shirayuki and her taichou's, Hyourinmaru but the thing was, she thought it was impossible for her taichou to send her flowers so, she dropped him from being a suspect. "But, whoever gave these, I just wanted to say thank you."

At that very moment, Isane entered the room. "Eh? Where did Shana go?"

"I sent her out on an errand," smiling innocently, Diva added, "I'm not planning to run anywhere."

Isane wasn't sure whether or not to believe her. "Alright, hey, why haven't you touched your food yet? You're going to get hungry."

Diva looked at the food. "It was kind of too hot so I decided to let it cool for awhile."

Isane shrugged. "Diva-sama, are you sure you're going to be alright? You look like the mess a cat dragged in after that battle. I mean, you should get some food into your system so you get back out there faster."

Diva nodded. "I'll get to it once I finish this." She then continued to focus on the flower to try and find out who gave and who created it. She sat there for awhile yet, no answers. Frustrated that she couldn't find anything, she once again leaned back to then pick at her small gyoza dumplings that were near her lamp. "How do I track memories through a simple object?"

Then again, she was too tired to even exert a small amount of reiryouku right now. While she continued popping those in, Shana burst through the door nearly knocking down poor Isane. "I found it, Diva-nee-san! There are actually so many documents about it, I don't know where to start!"

Diva's smile broadened. "Okay, call the others. I think we need to do a little sifting of information."

Shana nodded and bolted out the door and left a very shocked Isane. "Eh? Um, Fukurou-sama, how do you…?"

Diva giggled softly. "It's a matter of trust, Isane-san. Also, please, call me "Diva-chan" instead. It's weird having a superior calling me "Fukurou-sama". Although I have to admit, yes, sometimes we have our differences with each other but that's what makes a team stronger…"

"You mean, Shana-chan?"

"Mm-hm," nodding, Diva picked up a booklet and rummaged through its old pages. "Gee, I hope I can return this after I get out of the hospital. I just hope I can find more useful information about the Waterfall of Spirits. After all, I think it's because of this place that we're going to end up as the victor," flipping through the pages once more, Diva intently began writing down every single detail the manuscripts had. She had to be useful somehow and this was how she was going to do it.

A voice yelled while a blonde bust open the door. "Buchou!"

Diva looked up while Miko brought even more books and manuscripts. "Here, I saw Shana-chan bringing a lot of stuff so I figured you might need some stuff and maybe some help sorting out your stuff. Oh, I made cookies! Want one?"

Diva snatched a cookie. "Miko, just help me sift through the documentations. We don't have much time."

"Hey, Fukurou," busting through the door once more, Jin had a pile of papers and some chips, "you oughta tell me how long we're gonna be doin' this 'coz frankly, I hate doing this kinda shit."

"For starters," –the princess let out an exhausted sigh, "stop swearing. You didn't have that kind of mouth the last time I met you."

Jin gave her an appalled look. "I've been talking ta ya like this ever since! I don't see what's the point in sounding all formal when we're all buddies."

Diva let out a sigh while continuing to sift through the papers. "Has anyone seen Reika?"

Her question was soon answered when Reika barged her way in; shocking poor Isane even further. "Hey! Got some time off from taichou. So, since when did we have to function as secretaries of Soul Society? Besides, shouldn't the lower ranks be the ninnies handling this?"

"Not all of them are allowed to handle these kinds of things," Diva explained firmly, "also, since I'm in the hospital; I decided to find a way how to make myself useful. Besides, we get to use our brain cells more often. Jin, can you please hand me that book please?"

He threw the book at her in frustration. "I hate being a secretary. I wasn't trained for this…"

"Which is why," Reika pointed out teasingly, "you failed book keeping, filing and every written exam."

"I did not! I passed my Math and Science!"

Miko quietly added. "Ehm… you failed Chemistry…"

Jin loomed over her, roaring. "What was that!?"

"Aaaaaah!"

Feeling a sweat drop fall from the back of her head, Diva watched the two bicker again while she continued to sift.

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

Hitsugaya on the other hand was once again called by Byakuya and Ukitake. While moving towards the designated place, Hitsugaya's mind was filled with so many confusing thoughts such as: How are they going to deal with Aizen now? He had just taken Orihime and probably knowing Kurosaki, he'd run in like some headstrong fool he's always been. They can't really leave Soul Society either because he could easily infiltrate while they were out. Also, how about the princess? She wasn't exactly what you call in tip top shape either.

"_Saa~, you mean the princess you fell in love with,"_ –drawled the ice dragon at the back of the tenth division's captain's mind.

"Hyourinmaru," growled Hitsugaya, "if you're not going to do anything useful then I suggest that you stay out of my thoughts."

"_Honestly, I think Ukitake and Kuchiki called you in for a reason. I think there's going to be a big battle. Knowing that idiot Kurosaki, he'd probably rush into Hueco Mundo like the headstrong idiot we've always known him to be and maybe you'll be also called in to take out a couple of Arrancars. We just have to hope we have a lot of time so by then, we won't be caught flat footed," _–continued Hyourinmaru offhandedly, _"I see you prefer this "Hisoka" over the other one."_

"Her name's Diva," stated Hitsugaya nonchalantly, "and yes, at least I know and have more information about her rather than whistling in the dark."

"_You've always found her beautiful, haven't you?"_

Hitsugaya hated debating with his zanpakuto because they were thinking with one mind and whatever Hitsugaya thinks, Hyourinmaru thinks too. _"We really have to fix your situation with her, you're dancing in circles around her. It's been several months since she last entered the squads," _–Hyourinmaru smirked, _"Also, you can't keep acting out your mysterious admirer crap forever. That girl's got a mind faster than yours."_

Finally, Hitsugaya was thankful to meet up at the local tea shop nearby. There, Ukitake and Byakuya had already arrived at the place and Hitsugaya took his seat. "Is there something you wanted to tell me?"

"Yes," –handing him a document, Byakuya pointed out. "You better read this."

Hitsugaya took the document and read it. For a few moments, the two noticed that his emerald eyes have grown wider every time. "This is…!"

Ukitake nodded sullenly. "We know, it's an execution order; and not just any order but an order to execute the princess. The problem is –we can't. She's been with us for quite awhile and proved to be a valuable asset and she's never done anything wrong. We can't turn her in."

"We've been tightening the noose around our necks even further," Byakuya let out a frustrated sigh, "it's either we kill her or put her in the front line to get her killed by an arrancar which I know is the most stupid thing to do. So, you have any better plan because I have no other plan."

Hitsugaya folded his arms. "The only thing I can think of is to hide her until we find out the conspiracy and the conspirator."

"Um…Kuchiki-sama? May I come in?"

Byakuya looked up and saw Miko peeking from the door. "Shougetsu, what's wrong?"

There was a dreadful silence until she gulped. "The Ryoka have headed into Hueco Mundo and Diva-sama has chosen to go too!"

The three captains stood up from their chairs immediately and headed towards Squad Four to try and seal off Diva from escaping.

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When they got to Squad Four, Diva was still on her bed with a smile. "What are you guys doing here? I said I wasn't going to run off now did I?"

The captains were more or less stunned because of Diva's innocent smile and she was still in her hospital robes. What was Miko talking about? Maybe the poor girl just exaggerated. "Fukurou, you're not allowed to leave Squad Four until you've been told by Captain Unohana," Byakuya flatly stated.

"Oh? Then, I guess I should be staying then," Diva smiled and her image slowly faded.

Hitsugaya yelled. "Darn! She got…!"

Her image was gone and so was Miko. Ukitake mumbled. "That's level one hundred thirty kidou. This has the incantation for it to last that long."

Byakuya and Hitsugaya were searching all over the place and realized that she really was missing. Where exactly did she go?

Ukitake moved towards the button. "Should we call in the people?"

Hitsugaya smirked. "I think I know where she went. She still has a lot to work on when it comes to running away."

Byakuya gave him a stoic look. "The first thing Miko would do is follow wherever she goes so…"

Ukitake and the other two pulled themselves together and figured out where to go.

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"Why are we in Squad Eleven?" asked a very nervous Miko.

Jin shrugged. "Well, no sane captain would ever look in here. Besides, Fukurou was the one who suggested it. Why exactly are we here?"

Diva suited up. "I just wanted to make sure that Hitsugaya-taichou wouldn't find me. The one we should be scared off naturally would be Kurotsuchi-taichou but other than that, maybe we should just watch out for any other taichou just in case. So, shall we head for Rukongai?"

Reika raised her eyebrows. "Wait, why are we heading there again?"

Diva explained. "Just to confuse them. We have to get to Hueco Mundo. I know it sounds reckless but if you have any better plans, say them now or forever hold thy peace."

They exchanged glances with each other; none of them had the slightest clue on how to confuse three captains. "Well," –shrugging, Jin asked, "so shall we get going?"

"I think we should," quickly replied Diva, "time's running out."

The four quickly left Squad Eleven heading towards the Rukongai gates until the four realized that three captains were hot on their pursuit. "Geez," Jin cursed, "your captains don't know how to give up now do they? Maybe," –his eyes changed into gold, "I should give them a taste of Eikochouchin's true power. They haven't seen anything yet!"

He was about to draw his sword out of his sheathe until Diva stopped him. "Violence won't break them off our trail. Strategy will, Miko, change your appearance and switch course. Head for Squad Ten! Shana, I want you to go for Squad Thirteen! Reika, Jin, you two are with me."

Shana was quizzical. "Wait, how do we meet up?"

Diva smiled. "When they think that I'm returning, you two then take a detour to the gates."

Jin smirked. "Nice, divide and conquer. Got any other plans for us three? What if one of the idiots decides to follow us?"

"That's what we're going to make them do," Diva smiled evilly, "if one follows, the other two can take that one person from behind."

Jin smirked. "You sadistic genius," –he looked behind; "looks like your captain took the bait. Shall I kick his ass?"

Diva's eyes flashed. "Don't. Just trap him using kidou."

Jin whined. "But kidou was never one of my strong points!"

"Which is why," snarled Reika while charging up a kidou spell, "I'll handle him! Chains of the death god release yourself, my hand shall be they guide. Help me restrain those who dare defy death! Hadou 57: Chains of Mephistoles!"

The shadowy figure's speed slowed down while black chains bound the figure while the three managed to gain more distance. "We have to save, Inoue," explained Diva, "her abilities are what are going to decide this battle and we better reach her fast!"

"You're not going alone," added a voice from behind and there she saw Renji and Rukia next to her. "Diva-sama," –Rukia smiled while keeping up with her, "allow us to be of some assistance to you."

Renji added. "Yeah, I gotta guard Miko too. Kuchiki-taichou would have a hissy fit if these girls," –referring to Rukia and Miko, "get killed by a hollow or something! So, what's the plan, Diva-chan?"

The silver haired girl smiled. "Simple. We go to Karakura Town first; we need a few reinforcements."

-That's Chapter 7! Please Review!


	8. Karakura Reinforcements

(I don't own Bleach or maybe some of the similarities of the Prince of Tennis techniques in it!)

Chapter 8 – Karakura Reinforcement

Diva and her team entered Karakura without any obstructions. Jin scratched his head. "Okay, where do we go from here? I don't got a map and my sense of direction is horrible! Fukurou, where do we go? Do you even know the way to that Ryoka's house anyway? I mean –we're stranded here in the Human World and we have no sense of direction here!"

Diva closed her eyes for a moment and listened to the wind. "Kurosaki-san's house is not too hard to find, Kanagura. His house is three blocks from here and if I'm wrong, I'm sure Kuchiki-san would be able to find it since she used to stay there."

Rukia nodded. "But, your sense of direction's pretty good because it's true; his house is only three blocks from here."

Diva shrugged. "It was actually a guess since his reiatsu's a little low for the day. So, I wasn't really sure where his house was."

Rukia and Renji just exchanged glances and went towards Ichigo's place. The roads were deserted until they heard loud thumping on the road. Miko looked around frantically. "What was that just now? Buchou, that's not an illusion, is it? We're not under some mass hypnosis are we?"

Jin shook his head. "I don't think so because I can hear the loud thumping and the reiryouku of whatever's parading through the neighbourhood, is monstrous. I mean –I'm sure Fukurou knows what's what right? So," –turning to Diva, "is it a hollow or just a hypnosis trick of Aizen again? Frankly, I'm getting really annoyed by this hypnosis shit."

Diva shook her head. "It's not hypnosis, Kanagura," –she looked around trying to determine the source and found it near Kurosaki's house. She knew that this feeling was that of a Vastrolorde level hollow and everyone knew one thing: find a Vastrolorde, kill it or call in reinforcements. Shana drew out her bow. "Looks like we have hollow kebab for dinner today. Jin-nii, do you mind cutting up everything before I pierce everything else?"

Jin drew out Eikochouchin. "Do you have to ask a stupid question like that?"

Diva drew out Shukumei and warned. "Everyone get ready! Hollow at one o' clock!"

As expected, the hollow crashed in front of her and Rukia drew out Sode no Shirayuki. "Shougetsu-san, be careful! Fukurou-sama!"

Diva dodged it easily; nothing felt better than being in her full state. Diva had asked Isane to help her heal up with a little help from Miko; she managed to get out of the hospital three times faster than usual. Since she was also good in reiatsu control, she also managed to heal the deep wounds with much ease. The last time she did it, she rushed it and she opened up her deeper and more fatal wounds. Diva reminded herself that she wouldn't do it again. "Yuchizawa, Kanagura, attack! Flank it on both sides!"

Jin and Reika didn't hesitate to attack; revealing Eikochouchin, Jin flipped into the air. "You hollows are such a pain in the ass! Don't you guys ever know when to shut up and die? Or lemme rephrase the question: what part of "shut up and die" doncha get?"

Reika's orange hair became a bloodied red colour and so did her eyes. "I guess they don't know or get anything damn straight considering that they're STUPID! I mean –hello, Jin, they've become soulless and mindless bodies for the past eons!"

Shana fired a couple more arrows. "Mama, this one's got a tough hide! What do we do?"

Miko summoned her staff. "I've been hitting it with everything, Buchou! This thing's armor is really thick!"

Diva had a faint smile tug at her lips. "I already have a plan."

A huge claw came her way but this time; instead of her cutting it, the claw missed her by a large gap and a red vortex appeared around her. Jin's eyes widened with horror. "The hell!? I thought that technique was sealed off! I mean –her body was so badly busted that it limited the number of times she could use that monstrosity!"

Miko's eyes widened. "The Fukurou Phantom… the counter part of the Fukurou Zone. While the Fukurou Zone slows down the projectiles in order to give buchou to deflect it or even destroy it, the Fukurou Phantom makes things sway from its pathway and attacks something else. It can be applied to all strikes and everything else. I thought buchou couldn't use this technique anymore." (A/N: I've graduated into becoming a Prince of Tennis fanatic. Yes, I am a very big fan of Tezuka Kunimitsu.)

Shana gulped. "Mama, that technique's dangerous! It wears down your reiryouku and your body!"

Diva's face remained serious while she still resorted to using the technique. Her body moved with insane speed while she recalled her fight she had with Hitsugaya the other time when she was still known as Hisoka. It was because of that fight that she was inspired to create a move that could make projectiles miss though it caused a greater strain on her body. She lunged forward again and every projectile thrown at her seemed to miss because of the Fukurou Phantom. "You're quite a powerful bitch," growled the hollow while he continued to attempt skewering the princess.

Her silver eyes didn't show any hint of emotion. "I'm not powerful; you're just weaker than me."

Her blade sang into the air and hacked off the left arm while Miko's staff inflicted blows and Shana's arrows pierced through the armor. Reika managed to crack through its right side and Jin began hacking off til kingdom come. Renji trapped the hollow with Zabimaru in Shikai form while he continued crushing it. "I didn't know Diva had sealed up techniques."

Rukia turned to Miko. "How come she sealed off her techniques? The only one I've seen so far is the Sharin no Unmei." (Wheel of Fate) – (This one's mine. I created it.)

Reika explained. "Well, buchou saved this technique for dire need and there was a time in our exam that we forced her to use it beyond her limits which is why she was forced to seal off the technique. Her body also suffered wounds from her abusive uncle which is why the more she uses this technique, the more she would end up in the hospital but somehow, she seems in her full state and the last time I saw her like this was what? Five years ago?"

Renji's and Rukia's jaws dropped. "Five years ago!?"

"Look! There it is," Shana yelled excitedly while Diva easily deflected the shot; forcing the projectile high into the air and rendering it useless, "the Bara Otoshi!" (Rose Drop)(A/N: Derived from Fuji Syuusuke's Higuma and Kirin Otoshi.)

The whole team stared in awe at her while Miko swung her staff and targeted a certain point on the hollows arm and cracking the armour. Her staff flew back to her when she pitched it again. Renji's eyes widened. "Wow, she knows how to fight. So, why doesn't she do this when Kuchiki-taichou's around?"

Reika shrugged. "She's shadowed by Captain I'm-better-than-everybody I guess."

Jin smirked. "I haven't seen her Hamutsu e no Waltz (Waltz towards Destruction) in awhile. Most of the techniques you guys are using are barely even eating up your reiryouku except Fukurou who's really serious about kicking this hollow's ass. Oh, I wanna show you something too," –positioning himself in an attacking position, he swung his axe in a large arc creating a vacuum struck faster than the wind itself, "swift like the wind." (A/N: I really have to stop reading too much manga; I've already gotten a derivation from Fuji, Atobe, Tezuka and Sanada.)

Reika tossed her head with a smug look. "Che, like that's going to impress them," –she twirled her scythe around while jumping in the air, "check me out." She somersaulted and took out the hollow's arm and when it tried to hit her, she twisted her body in mid-air and struck again. She was moving as if she was as flexible as rubber. (A/N: Tribute to Kikumaru Eiji and Gakuto Mukahi)

Renji and Rukia stared in shock. These five were treating it as if it were just a game. Shana however hadn't displayed anything yet but, they had a feeling that there was something she was hiding that she wasn't using. Stringing her bow back, Shana focused her reiryouku into it. "No one has lived to ever block this shot…!"

The arrow flew and then changed into a pink colour bursting with electrical energy. Jin gulped. "Shit! You're using THAT!?"

Shana shrugged. "Mama said there was nothing wrong with using this technique."

Reika smirked while landing. "Yeah, once that shot's fired, everything that it touches turns into dust. Literally or even vanishes."

Diva saw it and moving out of the way, the arrow literally decimated the hollow and left nothing left while Diva said it's name. "Shinijikumaru's Special Technique, the Razor Beam. I would've said Laser Beam but since this thing cuts like a blade, I changed it to Razor Beam." (A/N: Tribute to Yagyuu Hiroshi who is the creator of the Laser Beam in Prince of Tennis)

Rukia sheathed Sode no Shirayuki. "You guys barely needed our help."

Jin smugly replied while bringing out his usual charmed smile. "Of course, ouji-sama can handle things by himself! Ouji-sama no bigi ni yoina!" (A/N: Atobe's line, yes. Except Jin refers to himself as "ouji-sama". What he said was: "Be awed at the sight of my prowess" though he calls himself a prince in the third person)

**KICK.**

"Ow," rubbing his head, Jin found Reika having a vein bulging at her fist and head, "at least I don't say it as much. Can't I have a moment where I can be arrogant and proud of my prowess as a fighter? Besides, when Fukurou says it, you don't even hit her! In fact, you agree with her and give her a round of applause! What is this, gender discrimination?"

Reika growled. "Buchou sounds better when she used to say it and fix your gundamn smile, it disgusts me."

Shana nodded. "And she has a reason to be arrogant. You on the other hand were beaten by her remember?"

Miko concluded. "She was number one in the Academy."

Letting out a frustrated sigh, Jin kicked the dust in frustration while Renji and Rukia stifled a laugh at the scene. Jin's face then became serious. "Guys, we better hurry this up. I gotta bad feeling that something big's gonna happen. I mean –seriously, don't you notice it's too quiet?"

Reika had the urge to kick him. "Stop acting so cool! It's pissing me off!"

"He's right," a stoic voice replied while Diva continued to walk towards Ichigo's house, "Orihime's still in danger and here we are, standing and doing nothing. We better get a move on."

Jin smirked at Diva. "For once, you actually agreed with me."

"Is it a crime if I do," Diva's face still remained in its poker form, "I'm sure rivals have a once in awhile agreements."

The seven of them went towards Ichigo's house and once they got there, they saw Ichigo leaving the house in his Shinigami form. Rukia yelled. "Kurosaki! Where are you going? Do you actually plan on entering Hueco Mundo alone?"

Ichigo let out a sigh of guilt. "Inoue went to Hueco Mundo because I wasn't strong enough to kick that Arrancar's ass."

Diva took a look at the moon. "She did it to give us a chance to spare people's lives. Kurosaki-san, in doing this, Inoue actually gave us enough time to regroup and unleash ten times the normal force we would've done if she were to stay here. I'm not saying that she getting kidnapped was a good thing but there is always a silver lining in every cloud. This is one of them."

Ichigo looked guilty at himself while Rukia slapped him. "Stop drowning in your guilt! We better get going if we want to save Inoue!"

Renji kicked him. "Yeah, pull yourself together! C'mon, I came here tonight because I wanted to kick some hollow ass! Not to watch you wallow in your own guilt! The stupid thing is –I can't believe that Kuchiki-taichou didn't know I was out here! He doesn't even know that his brainless Blondie and his reckless sister is out here!"

Miko twiddled with her thumbs. "Mi, I'm sorry… I just wanted to help Diva-buchou."

Diva silenced everyone. "Minna, we better get going. The earlier we get this done, the better because I think my taichou is going to demand a full explanation for my actions especially because I made a promise that I wouldn't run away."

Shana gave her an awkward look. "But didn't Unohana say you were perfectly fine?"

"Yeah," –Diva added, "but I didn't tell him what my motives in escaping were. So, he thinks I'm still in beat up condition and I'm on a brilliant escapade again. It takes more than a barrier to hold me."

Shana moaned. "This is going to be on my permanent record…"

Reika scratched her head. "I'm going to be demoted when I get back."

"Kuchiki-taichou," Miko shuddered at the thought of getting another sermon done by him. If his longest was around three hours, imagine what he would say if she was scuffed or crying or bleeding or all three put into one. The fact that he worried about her made her happy and scared of him all at the same time.

Renji dismissed the thoughts. "Never mind, let's just go to Urahara and get our way through Hueco Mundo. Since he's an exiled captain, I'm sure he knows a lot of stuff of going into forbidden dimensions and other useful crap. Guess who else decided to join the party?"

They looked behind Ichigo and there stood Sado and Uryuu with their stuff ready to go. The Quincy said solemnly. "I'm not going to let Inoue get killed. Neither am I going to let Aizen use her powers for his own stupidity. We better get Inoue, fast. Kurosaki, you better not fail this time or if you really get Inoue killed I will have your head on a platter and take your life myself."

Ichigo smirked at Uryuu. "I don't plan on losing to anyone most especially you, Ishida."

Sado motioned. "We better get going," he added with a low hushed tone.

Diva looked at the place. "This place will become a battlefield soon. The faster we get Inoue, the faster we'll end the war."

They nodded and moved on towards Urahara's shop.

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"You guys want to enter Hueco Mundo?" Eyeing them warily, Kisuke Urahara, former captain of Squad Twelve wasn't sure whether or not to let them enter, "that place is loaded with hollows. Enter there and you better be sure that you can fend off an army. That's where all hollows go when they aren't purified yet. Most hollows there are hungry bastards who've been deprived for years. I'm not surprised why Aizen chose the place."

Yoruichi also took on her human form. "Ichigo, if you do plan on going there, are you sure you can handle it? Also," –pointing towards Diva, "you have the princess with you. Aren't you endangering her life when you enter there with her?"

Ichigo looked at Diva. "You're from a Noble Family?"

Diva's solemn face revealed a hint of sadness. "I was."

Yoruichi sighed. "That still doesn't mean that you hold no value, Diva. You're still the princess and next in line for the throne. If you get killed, it will give the king more than a reason to replace you with your step brother, Kyouka. From what I remember, he was always hell bent in somehow continuing his bloodline with royalty since we still apply meritocracy in the monarchy."

The execution squad gave her a stare. "You have a step brother?"

"Yes," Diva replied in her usual stoic manner, "but he's a lot kinder than my uncle. He's the one who helped me ever since my uncle tossed me out of the dimensions. He cares more about me than anyone else but still, I don't have much importance now… I'm a princess without a crown and a throne. So, I'm just an ordinary Shinigami and I kind of prefer this life rather than being royalty. I know my living standards aren't that high but it's good enough for me to live in."

Yoruichi still was worried over her. "The last battle you had with Aizen left you heavily damaged, are you sure you can handle it?"

Renji added. "Maybe you should just stay here…"

"No," Diva's face showed how firm she was on her decision, "I'm going whether you like it or not. My pride and everything else is one the line if I sit this one out. Besides, I can move just fine."

Renji then remembered those moves she had done back there. "Yeah, the Fukurou Phantom, the Fukurou Zone, the Sharin no Unmei, the Bara Otoshi," –he began counting, "boy, you really are innovative for someone who comes from a royal family."

Yoruichi looked at the other four. "I want you to guard her with your lives. If she dies, Soul Society will have you dead in no time."

The four exchanged glances and gulped while Rukia replied. "We'll do whatever we can."

Yoruichi finally accepted them to go into Hueco Mundo. "Still, be careful. I don't want you brats getting killed in there."

Diva reassured her. "You shouldn't worry so much about us, Shihoin-sama. We're perfectly capable of doing this mission and we will bring Orihime back no matter what the cost."

The gates opened and the whole group entered leaving Urahara and Yoruichi alone. "Think they can handle it, Yoruichi?"

"I've taught Ichigo everything he needs to know," Yoruichi replied sullenly but her face then became firm, "I'm sure he'll make it out alive. The princess is also a tensai and also Yuchizawa Reika, both of them can be trusted. The blonde is the one I'm not exactly sure of."

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When they arrived at Hueco Mundo, they saw how much sand there actually was. Renji looked around. "Wow, this place is really loaded with sand. I wonder what Aizen eats here, sandwiches?"

**KICK.**

Renji now got hit by Rukia. "Quit it with your stupid puns, eyebrowless. Ichigo, can you tell where Inoue is?"

The orange haired Ryoka shook his head. "This place is so vast; I can hardly sense anything."

Diva closed her eyes and then began focusing. "This place is big but I can tell what direction she's in but I can't tell her exact location."

Ichigo asked. "Think you can lead the way from here?"

Diva nodded. "Yeah. Just give me a few minutes. Miko, release Fukitsu, I need to make sure my sense of direction is right."

The blonde nodded and summoned. "Curse, Fukitsu Kage!"

The black cat appeared and looked at Miko lovingly with its big gold eyes. _"Is there something you need to be done, Miko-san?"_

Miko squat down to talk to the small cat. "Eh, I need you to check out something. Diva-buchou's going to give you directions."

The black cat snorted. "Fine. I'll go but, what happens when I get lost? I mean this place," –motioning her head towards the endless sea of sand, "look how much sand there is, I think I'm about to cry. No water, no food. Zanpakuto were once human too!"

Miko pat its head. "Don't worry; you're going to be fine. If there's someone in the Execution Squad who has a good sense of direction, it's Diva-buchou. She really knows where to go and not where to go and all you need to do is to check if there's something weird beyond the horizon. Can you please do it? For me?"

Fukitsu smiled cheekily. "I'm doing it because you told me to. Lead the way, princess!"

Diva nodded while she closed her eyes to tell what place the reiatsu was coming from. "Go north. Stop at the hill."

It didn't take Fukitsu long to get there and then Diva ordered. "Take a left and see if there's any weird infrastructure there."

Everyone was staring at the Tenth Division's Third Seat, seeing on how accurate she was. By chances she was right, Fukitsu came back telling them that there was a castle in the middle of the desert and it was something streaming with deadly reiatsu. She was definitely sure that Diva's senses were not that badly clogged seeing that the princess managed to pick up faint reiatsu scents. Not many Shinigami could pull off what she had done today. "You're really amazing in tracking down things, Fukurou-sama," Renji said in a low hushed voice.

"Wow," Ichigo's eyes widened, "you're being humble now?"

This however, earned Ichigo a whack on the head. Rukia growled. "Hey, stop being so sarcastic, Ichigo! We better get going because Diva-sama and the others just got a pretty good head start. Uryuu and Sado had chosen to follow while they managed to catch up to Diva and the others who were simply staring at the huge infrastructure which was somewhat out of the blue.

Diva's eyes widened. "Someone ought to tell me why there is a big castle sitting in the middle of nowhere."

Reika shrugged. "Well, I really think it's Aizen's because he really has a bad sense of fashion. It's all black and white and now I feel like I want to cover the whole castle with his blood. Don't you think it will add a pretty colour to it?" A sadistic smile appeared on her face.

Everyone stared at her stupidly while Shana added. "Yeah," –an evil smile came to play, "I think his blood would add a pretty colour to it. Whaddya think, Kanagura-nii? Should we spill his guts everywhere?"

Jin sighed. "You two don't know a thing or two of spilling guts. We should hack off his arms and then drag him all over the place. That seems fun and then, we bash his head on the wall. The blood from his head will probably spurt and paint the walls easily. Whaddya think, Fukurou?"

"I think," –Diva let out a sigh; "all of you need to run laps when we get back home and this time, I won't double it. I'll square it, what do you think, Shougetsu-san?"

The blonde shrugged while the other three shuddered at the sight of them running laps til the cows came home. Diva walked in while putting her hand on the hilt of Shukumei. "We might as well split into pairs when we go here. Miko, you go with Shana while Reika and Jin pair up. Kuchiki-san, I might need you to go with Kurosaki-san and Abarai-san will go with Ishida-san. I myself will go with Yasutora-san. Any questions?"

No one bothered to raise a question while they all entered. Lucky for them, it was a straight pathway until several Menos Grande dropped in front of them. There was no need for words because they bolted with insane speed trying to take it down. The monsters were huge but quite low in intelligence and despite the power they had, they barely had the idea how to use it.

Diva managed to use her famous Phantom Step that created several after images of her while Miko then revealed her new step: the Rising Step. Every time she moved, the speed increased two fold making her almost impossible to catch. Reika had her own ideas; revealing her scythe and swinging it in an odd angle, she revealed a crescent shaped slice on the Menos Grande.

Renji had quite the heyday also while the Menos Grande seemed to be resilient to all their attacks. Diva then put herself in Quick Sword position and began slashing with limitless strikes and speed. When a beam flew past her, she had already prepared the Fukurou Phantom. Her speed had increased ever since that fight she had with Aizen despite her being in the hospital. The beam went awry and she managed to take its head and back flip. If there were only two people who were that agile, it was Reika and Diva. The two were more experienced than the other three and somehow, they were the only two who managed to even lay a small amount of damage on Aizen that day even with Jin's insane hacking spree.

The Menos Grande fell slowly while they were wasting their reiryouku. Shana had been firing a lot of arrows and soon she found herself back to back with Uryuu Ishida. Pink arrows and blue arrows flew in the air; piercing whatever it came contact with, the arrows made their marks in the castle and the Menos Grande continued to fire lasers beyond their imagination. Rukia had already released Sode no Shirayuki's three dances and yet, no effect. The Menos Grande had really made their points since they were blasting the place. Diva passed a look to Jin. "I think it's about time."

"Ya think?" was Jin's subtle reply.

The two put their energy into their dominant arms and Diva swung with full force. "Fortuna no Ken!" (Blade of Fortuna)

Jin smirked while he swung his hatchet axe with a grin. "Maa~, ikuze! Kintenkiri!" (Imperial Golden Edge)

A huge silver flash thrashed the Menos Grande in two while a golden arc cut it into pieces. Miko and Shana paired up with an attack of their own since Fukitsu came charging in and crushing almost anything within plain sight and Shinijikumaru's poisonous thorns made themselves evident in the wall. Reika then made a team effort with Rukia who froze her targets while Reika had the joy of hacking their heads off. Renji swung Zabimaru in a wide arc hoping to take their heads but somehow the Menos Grande managed to stub the blade in their hard thick armour.

Renji's eyes widened. "Damn! This is bad!"

Ichigo swung Zangetsu but it seemed that these Menos Grande were being a pain in the ass. Yasutora had tried blowing a hole through them but no avail. Diva saw the hopelessness of the situation but knew exactly how to turn this game around. It's not as if she had too little reiatsu and reiryouku now did she?

Positioning herself and drawing a circle with her foot, Diva closed her eyes while whispering. "Bankai."

Jin saw that position and he knew that this time, Diva was very serious in trashing the hollows with a single sweep. Closing his eyes, he put his hand on his forehead to concentrate easily. "Bankai."

The two glowed in a silver and gold light while everyone stared in awe. Jin smiled while his bankai revealed itself and his hatchet axe was no longer what they thought it was but a very big blade that was twenty times his size. "Ougenkinzora, Eikochouchin!"

Ichigo could only stare in awe at someone who supposedly had less reiatsu control than he did when he heard the second bankai wielder. "Houginzubame, Shukumei!"

Diva's long silver hair drifted past her face while beautiful silver wings appeared on her back and her Shinigami robes were now changed into a silvery white armor that seemed so much different. Her claymore was substituted by a smaller sword which looked like one of those Medieval swords. The two emitted such a powerful reiatsu that it forced down the Menos Grande on their knees. Jin pointed his blade at the hollows. "Dance me if you can and be awed by the sight of my prowess!"

Reika then again had to resist the urge to kick the brunette's head while she heard Diva's entrance line while she even flipped her hair back with an arrogant smirk. "Hime-sama no bigi ni yoina."

Now that sounded more pleasant to their ears. "Go buchou," cried out Miko.

Diva truly revealed her prowess and actually, if Jin had not failed his other exams which he had been too lazy to study for, he would've been number two and they would've been on equal terms. Jin and Diva struck with blinding speed; leaving nothing to chance. Ichigo decided to follow the suit and soon everything came crashing on them. Things just had to get worse.

They would've paired up until there; they saw an arrancar with a grimace across his face. "You seem lost. Would you like me to direct you?"

Miko shivered at the sight of him while Shana gave him a look of disgust. "Nyah? Why would we need you? We probably might just end up in Aizen's clutches by the time we follow you, you ignorant boob!"

At Shana's reply, the Arrancar's smile became more devilish. "smart little brat."

The whole place rumbled while Uryuu and Renji told the others. "We can handle him! You go!"

"Eh?" Ichigo was completely dumbfounded, "Now why the hell would I want to leave you in a mess like this?"

Shan fired more arrows. "Mama, what should we do?"

Diva blocked his cero with Shukumei. "Well, we could try taking him out as quickly as possible. Although, I don't think his version of "quick" is the same as ours. Miko, I want you to bring in Fukitsu in full form! Take him out as fast as you can! Reika, if you remember how you managed to release your bankai form in the past, please do it now!"

Reika sighed. "I'm sorry buchou, as much as I want to remember, I can't!"

Diva sighed. "Looks like we're in for it now. Jin, you have to do better than that!"

Jin flipped his hatchet axe. "Damn, Arrancars! They have no brains or whatsoever and now, we're going to have to deal with brainless shitless assholes! What the heck is all this?"

The arrancar smiled. "I'm number eight of the Espada, Syael Apollo Granz."

Shana exchanged glances with Miko. "eh, are we supposed to care who he is?"

The blonde shrugged. "I guess not since he's going to go down anyway. Buchou, any plan?"

They only realized that Diva had vanished and Syael only then saw most of his helpers in small little pieces and no longer alive. In the midst of the blood, stood Diva with Shukumei in her shining glory. However, Diva was completely different after that. The silver haired princess hair became blue with her eyes being amber gold. Miko could only stare in awe. "Fortuna no Monban…" (Gate of Fortuna)

Reika gulped. "This is when all her experience in combat comes into play and when she becomes very unpredictable. There are actually three gates to this one. If the general form is the Fortuna no Monban, the next three are Atropos no Kiwami, Clotho no Kiwami and lastly is Lachesis no Kiwami. Each stage has their own power like Atropos no Kiwami enhances physical capability, Clotho enhances mental and Lachesis does both, I think."

(A/N: Very similar to the Muga no Kyouchi (State of Self-Actualization) from PoT but this is my version, the three are what we call the Fates so yeah, the Pinnacle of Atropos, Pinnacle of Clotho and Pinnacle of Lachesis. The general form is the Gate of Fortuna.)

Renji asked. "Are there any side effects?"

They shrugged while Reika replied. "We don't know. The only time we've ever seen her activate is the time when we had our exam but she activated the Atropos no Kiwami to fend off three hollows."

Syael could only stare in horror while Diva said a very famous line. "Mada mada daze." (You still have lots to work on.)

-That's chapter 8! Please review!


	9. Battle of the Espada Song of Karakura

(I don't own Bleach or any Prince of Tennis I might integrate into this!)

Chapter 9 – Espada War and the Song in Karakura

"Honestly, I don't know what to do anymore," Jin sighed while he dodged more shots, "since this guy has an accomplice in every corner of the room! We can't keep doing this forever! We're just wasting our reiryouku here! Hey, Shougetsu, what's our captain doing? Has she lost it or something?"

Miko shrugged. "I don't know! She's fighting unpredictably! There's no use in telling what technique she'll do next!"

Diva fought against many of the accomplice while Jin chased Syael Apollo Granz all over the place. Reika had been trying lay a hit but no avail either because he had dodged using the hollow's version of the flash step known as the Sonido and quickly dodged everything. Shana had been sending arrows in different angles even releasing the Razor Beam wasn't good enough because he simply flipped over it and some of their shots were even deflected back. Renji and the others weren't doing such a great job either. Renji's Zabimaru flailed aimlessly while Ichigo's Getsuga Tenshou missed by a long shot. Rukia's Sode no Shirayuki was avoided and the arrows and the big crater creating punches weren't doing much good either.

"Damn," yelled Ichigo, "how the hell are we going to get Inoue if we can't even get past this guy?"

Diva was forced to deactivate the Gate of Fortuna. "Everyone split up! We need to cover more ground! Remember your group mates!"

The group heeded Diva's call and the pairs that left were the: Kurosaki-Kuchiki pair, Shougetsu-Hoshikaze pair, Yasutora-Fukurou pair and finally, the Kanagura-Yuchizawa pair. The only one that was left to deal with Syael Apollo Granz was the Ishida-Abarai pair and the two people, didn't exactly like each other. "Damn it, why am I stuck with a Quincy?" growled Renji.

Uryuu growled back. "Who said I even wanted to be stuck with you? But," –he looked at Syael once more, "the princess did have a good idea. Putting us in pairs and assessing our power levels was the best thing to do, she made sure that we could handle any Arrancar and at the same time raise the level of our fighting skills. Quite the tactician I'd say."

Renji snorted. "But why you of all people?"

"Maybe," –Uryuu glared, "it's because she noticed how weak you are and you need someone to whip your ass back into shape."

Renji held Uryuu by the collar. "Excuse me? I've been fighting for more than a hundred years! I lived longer than you have!"

They heard an applause coming from the sidelines. "Bravo, I'm quite impressed by your stupidity. Though, you both would make excellent test subjects," Syael sniggered with a smile.

The two were quite weirded out by this arrancar who seemed to be more devilish than Kurotsuchi himself. They had no idea how to deal with him and Uryuu had an idea. "The only idea I have now is to run. We have no way in beating him here."

The redhead couldn't help but agree. "Yeah, I agree. We better split before he comes up with something worse."

The two turned around to make a break for it in order to find a better place to take the fight in.

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"Yasutora-san," asked Diva, "how long have you been using that power now?"

The big Mexican didn't say anything at first. "Only for a few months, Fukurou-san."

The silver haired princess noticed the uneasiness of the huge Mexican. "It's okay; you don't need to be so terrified of me. I know my reiatsu's a little high but, I'll try my best not to paralyze you okay?"

The Mexican was shocked by her sudden kindness even not knowing her. "Usu."

Diva continued to walk until she felt a huge wave of reiatsu hit her. She put her hand on the hilt of her blade. "Looks like we have a dance partner for tonight. Sado-san, please get ready!"

Sado obediently followed her orders as the next Espada came in. This one was big bulky and didn't look any better than Syael. He smirked. "So, Aizen-sama must've seen your plan so easily to send me to you."

Diva's face became very stoic and emotionless after that. "I'm sorry but, I'm afraid that you won't be able to report back to your master because we'll be ending your life right here. Sado-san, let's go!"

The Mexican bolted after she began striking the arrancar with everything she had. There were faint glints of silver and humming sounds coming from her blade. Diva's stance was graceful and she made sure that every shot count and she thought. "Looks like my bankai wasn't needed after all."

Sado then sent the hollow flying very easily as if it needed no effort at all. However, what he didn't notice was that despite how big it was, it was insanely fast for something so huge and devastating. It smashed holes in the wall and created big craters that even Diva didn't realize there was. Sado (a.k.a. Chad) managed to inflict a few shots but not good enough to make lasting damage. "Fukurou-san, tell me; how are we supposed to kill this thing?"

Diva flipped back as she dodged another punch dealt by the arrancar. "Honestly, I don't know, Sado-san. But –I think I may have an idea."

She looked in front while the hollow came rushing towards her while she told Sado. "Cover me!"

The arrancar noticed the speeding Shinigami with a smirk. "Oh yes, I forgot to introduce myself. Napoleon Van Gama's the name," –swiping down his claw which was easily dodged by the princess, "and, I think I'd like to go on a killing spree today."

Sado caught the claw and twisted it hard. "Now, Fukurou-san!"

Diva raised her sword in the air and with a satisfied smirk, she quoted. "Yudan sezu ni ikou, Van Gama-san." (Don't get careless now)

The hollow was shocked by Diva's expertise as a swordswoman while she sank her blade into its shoulder. The armor was quite thick because it didn't even sink halfway through and he managed to knock her down somehow. Sado tried to deal more damage only to find out that he too ended up flying. The arrancar was simply playing with them and he had more strength and power over the two. "Is that all you have? Quite a pity."

Diva and Sado were both in their worst condition now, after he had dealt a heavy blow to them. Sado was quite low on power and so was Diva; she knew she had to come up with something soon otherwise; they'd be dead in an instant. The problem was the heavy armor and both of them were heavy hitters yet not a single dent. Diva began putting reiryouku into her arms and legs; she had no other choice but to release the first pinnacle of Atropos. This allowed her to put the explosive reiryouku of Fortuna all into different places in her body. "I was planning to keep this technique sealed and leave it for Aizen but," –her silver eyes flashed with the same determination of a predator, "looks like you'll have to be my first victim."

The hollow felt a huge wave of reiatsu and Sado was forced to his knees. Her reiatsu clearly exceeded his and matched that of sou-taichou. This kind of reiatsu is something not many people have and everyone was right; she had capabilities of a captain yet she sealed all her techniques to be among others? What kind of person would do that? However, because of Diva's Atropos no Kiwami, she quickly dealt with the opponent as if it were nothing to her. "Looks like this fight was already mine to begin with," her voice coldly rang in the halls.

The arrancar dropped to his knees and felt nothing left as his mask cracked and he flopped on the floor; dead.

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Miko and Shana on the other hand were madly dashing through the hallway for their lives. "Nee-san, your sense of direction stinks!"

Miko wailed. "I didn't know that Aizen no baka had hollows at every end of his hallway!"

They were fighting and running at the same time. Miko summoned. "Curse, Fukitsu Kage!"

A black cat appeared and her whistle became a staff. She swung it while being able to repel some of the hollows while some were pierced by the arrows of Shana. The frilled lizard fired spines in every direction but the flood of hollows rushed to fill every single nook and cranny of the hallway. The blonde and the small lavenderette girl no longer relied on their sense of direction but rather on their instincts. Whatever hallway was empty; they just turned into it and began screaming even louder. "Waaah!"

More hollows rained in and Shana and Miko continued running like mad people. Shana whined. "How many hollows are there? Everywhere we turn, it's full of hollows! What do we do now!? Miko, summon that fur ball of yours! We need the extra man power here!"

Miko whined. "Demo…!"

Shana didn't want to waste her breath on Miko's arguments. "Now!"

Miko yelled. "Second form, Sabaku Kage!" (Desert Shadow)

The black cat created this wide flash that engulfed the entire room in shadows. After that, Miko warned. "Shana-chan, cover your ears!"

Despite them having their ears covered, they heard shrill shrieks of hollows and demons alike. Blood spurted all over the place and Shana ducked to avoid any flying body parts. "Miko-nee-san, you didn't tell me that your cat has nine octaves for singing!"

Miko whined back. "I didn't know either!"

When the hallways resumed to being lit again, Miko and Shana found Fukitsu licking itself while hollows lay on the floor; bloodied and disassembled. Shana could only stare in complete horror at what Miko's little fur ball friend had done. There were claw marks everywhere; hollows still gurgling like dying choked frogs and the walls were now coated in a crimson colour which led to the bodies of the hollows. "Nyuu~," whimpered Shana.

Miko mumbled. "Looks like I need to make sure Fukitsu takes a bath when we get home. Shana-chan, we better get going otherwise something big's gonna attack us and I don't think we're going to…"

A loud explosion echoed in area and Shana heard flash steps being done. "Miko-nee-san, what was that!?"

If there was one thing that Miko was gifted with, it was her ability to catch the movement of her opponent no matter how fast. "An arrancar," –pulling out her staff, she covered her ears and watched with her eyes. The arrancar may have the flash step nevertheless; Miko was trained to catch those faster than Byakuya and Diva herself. So, this mere hollow was nothing compared to what she had gone through. She remembered those times when Diva played tag with her using the phantom step and she at first had a hard time until Diva made her subconsciously develop a new talent: motion sight. Even if her opponent was as fast as a bullet, there was no way in hell that she would not be able to catch him, "leave this one to me, Shana-chan. I think –it's about time I used what Diva-buchou has taught me."

Putting her fingers near her eyes, her once blue eyes became gold and the scenario was clearer now. The arrancar looked like it was jogging to her and Miko managed to catch it easily. Her staff struck the hollow with such ease and despite it being able to dodge; the arrancar noticed that Miko's staff made devastating damage to its leg. "Impressive for a brat, who trained you? The monkey king?"

Miko positioned herself as her cheerful demeanor soon changed into a very determined one. "No, someone who doesn't need to waste her breath on an idiot like you. I'll take you out and I think," –referring to herself and Shana, "we're more than enough for you."

Shana strung her bow in full length and cheekily smiled. "Ja ne, hollow-san!"

Arrows flew but he dodged it again and Miko managed to catch up with it. Now, many people would probably wonder now why she was such a sucker from the beginning. Reason number one: She had Byakuya with her who always believed that she was only used in defensive combat, reason number two: she wasn't the mean hitter type. She herself was scared of her own zanpakuto and finally, the last reason was because she wasn't very arrogant about her fighting style especially when she held high respect for the valedictorian who had been their pillar of support the entire time.

Shana grinned. "One Thousand Flying Thorns!"

Arrows flew in the air and pierced the walls and some even imbedded itself into the hollow's huge armor. He smirked. "Not bad for two brats, whoever trained ya both must really have a problem with the world. Or maybe she didn't have anything better ta do."

Miko and Shana hated people who insulted their buchou openly and this time, both girls were ready to butcher this hollow. "I don't know what your name is but," –her eyes becoming jet black, Shana made her bow absorb pink reiatsu lights, "whoever insults Diva-buchou will suffer ten times worse than normal!"

Arrows flew quickly and the hollow smirked. "I'll just dodge that!"

Bouncing high into the air, the hollow managed to dodge everything else except one of the arrows which pierced the robe. He snarled. "You arrogant whelp! You will pay for your disrespect!"

Drawing out his sword, he smirked. "This is it, Kazekiri!" (Wind Edge/Cutter)

A huge wind blasted its way through and rendered Shana's arrows useless. However, someone entered the eye of the tornado and struck with lightning reflex as if it were nothing. "Strike like lightning!"

The hollow saw a flash of a black staff and felt heavy blows dealt to his torso. He smirked. "Too bad! Do you think Damien Von Hirsch will be easily outsmarted? I think not!" Flinging his sword, he managed to knock down Miko and avoid the next twenty blows.

Shana growled. "It's not working! What do we do?"

Miko's eyes focused on the being itself and soon, she herself was glowing black. "Hidden like the Shadow…"

Shana's eyes widened. "Eh? I thought that was part of Jin's thingy! How did you master it?"

"Lightning and Shadow were never really his," –Miko stated simply, "The Lightning and the Shadow were just sealed moves that I created. I never used it because I promised myself that I would create something that would beat buchou's Ten Counters."

Shana then realized that she was the only one without a combo shot. She only had the Razor Beam and she wanted something like theirs. Reika had the Acrobatic Play running around, Miko had the Hamutsu e no Waltz, Lightning and Shadow and Motion Sight, Diva had the Fortuna no Monban with its Three Pinnacles, the Jyuu no Counters (The Ten Counters), the Insight Ability and the last ability she never resorted to using: the Singing Requiem. Shana had already seen four of her counters: the Phantom Sword, the Phantom Step, the Wheel of Fate and the Rose Drop. Those were the first four and no one else has seen the others yet.

Shana thought hard; isn't there anything she could do?

"_There is one ability you haven't tapped into yet," _–quietly reminded a voice, _"you have never tried copying someone now have you?"_

Now that gave Shana an idea, she focused her reiatsu slowly into her body. She felt her body change and the first thing she saw was that she had short brown hair and her breast was so much flatter. Her arms were bigger and when she tried out her voice. "Miko-chan…?" Oh my golly, it was really deep. The girl was in for it now. "NOOOOOOOOOO! I CHANGED INTO THE PERSON I DON'T WANT TO BE! WHY!? WHY AM I KANAGURA JIN!? NO WAY!"

Miko stared at the once lavender haired girl. "Shana-chan, what happened to you? You looked like you became…"

"A man," –she shrieked, "and it had to be that moron of all people! Why!? I can't even move fast in his body!"

Miko shrugged. "Haven't you even tried???"

Shana focused the reiryouku at her feet (though technically, they aren't really hers) and felt a speeding sensation in her legs. "Alright, lemme give it a try!"

Like a flash of lightning, she found herself standing on the roof. "Nyaaaaaah~! Why am I on the roof??? Miko-nee-san, help me!"

The blonde looked up. "Shana-chan, what are you doing…?"

Before she could finish her sentence, something smacked Miko and sent her flying. The hollow pinned her. "Not bad but still, you were too busy watching over that Quincy-Shinigami brat who can't even control herself. What a fine pair."

Shana felt so pissed off; she wanted power to make herself more power and hit the limit she was supposed to hit. But no matter what she did, nothing seemed to happen. She kept forcing reiryouku into her body to at least achieve something and there was something she did achieve: her ability to create a territory which no one could escape from. As long as they stood there, all her shots would target them; be it out of place or not.

It was what she called now the "Hoshikaze Territory". (A/N: Adapted from Oishi Syuuichirou)

"Teme," –letting out a blood-curling cry, Shana fired more arrows that bent in every direction; pinpointing all the Arrancar's weak points. Her form from Jin's changed back into her while she continued to fire more arrows and the last one changed into her ultimate move: The Razor Beam. A pink beam started forming at the tip of her arrow while absorbing particles in the air and this revealed her prowess as a Quincy, "die…Die! I will crush you, you bloody…!"

Before she could say anything else, she felt someone poking her knees with her staff. Miko held her back and smiled. "This is why we're called the Calamity Pair. We were taught something: we were taught how deliver bad luck to others. So that, we can turn it to our advantage. That is," –pointing her staff to the arrancar's head, "why we cannot fail in our battle as doubles partners."

The arrancar flopped on the floor while Miko stepped on his body and walked on with a cheerful smile. "Come on, Shana! We still have more ground to cover."

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Meanwhile, Ichigo and Rukia were also forced to split up again and here, Rukia found herself in front of someone she thought she would never see again: Kaien Shiba, former lieutenant of Squad Thirteen. He stood there in full form, there was no doubt about it; the only thing that made him different than before was that he was wearing a white uniform but his zanpakuto and everything else seemed intact. "Kaien-dono…"

"Hey, Rukia," –he smiled weakly, "it's been awhile hasn't it? I hope Captain Ukitake isn't so worried or depressed."

Rukia was speechless upon seeing the latter. She had remembered that he was dead. He had died after being possessed by that hollow. There was something wrong here but she couldn't discern what. "Kaien-dono, you're supposed to be dead," –tears brimmed at her eyes and happiness flooded through her while she hugged him, "I'm so sorry, Kaien-dono! But I'm so glad you're okay!"

Kaien pat her head. "My, my, Rukia-chan. I didn't know you were going to be this ecstatic."

The younger Kuchiki was equally speechless and happy; she never realized that Kaien would still be alive. The memory of her stabbing Kaien through was still a fresh imprint in her mind which made her shudder often at the sight of Kaien's bloody body. She remembered the time she went to Kuukaku Shiba to ask for forgiveness and only to receive a couple of beatings for apologizing so much.

"Rukia-chan," –Kaien started, "shall we have a little walk? I think we have a lot of recapping to do."

Rukia nodded while she dismissed the fact that there was something wrong and followed after him.

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Now, Ichigo had found a little hollow that had been following him all over the place named Neliel Tu Oderschvank. She had been following him with a couple insane hollows that Ichigo found particularly irritating. However, that didn't seem like the problem right now since Ichigo was now caught fighting one of the top five hollows: the Fifth Espada, Nnoitra Jurga.

This man had been slashing Ichigo here and he couldn't block any of the shots. "What's the matter, Kurosaki? Can't even block me? What good are you? Come on," –he was getting all maniacal, "come and fight me!"

Ichigo had been fighting on defense ever since the fight had started. He felt like he was fighting another version of Kenpachi and if he thought things through, maybe things would be over easily. However, that didn't seem to be the case anymore since Nnoitra had been butchering him for the past thirty minutes. Neliel hid behind the rocks and hoped that Ichigo won't be dead by then. Zangetsu had been dealing heavy damage but nothing seemed to work for them because Nnoitra seemed to have multiple pairs of arms.

"Hey, what's the matter, Ichigo? Getting slow perhaps?" taunted Nnoitra from the sidelines.

This wasn't good and everyone knew that however, things began to change when Ichigo saw someone enter from the sidelines and it didn't take an idiot to figure out who that was. "Oi, what's taking you so long, Ichigo? You going to die here?"

Ichigo's eyes widened with horror. _Oh great, two crazy insane maniacal killers. _"Kenpachi?"

Taking out his sword, the eleventh division captain smugly laughed. "Yeah, that's right! Ya just gonna lie there coz ya goin' to miss a great fight though?"

Ichigo let out a breath of relief. "No, not really," –taking up his sword again, "I plan to dice this guy too."

He remembered that despite Neliel's flashback and ability to release her old form, it wasn't enough since she reverted back to her puny self. The fight had been so bloody that even Ichigo could barely see. This was taking too long and sooner or later. Things were bound to get ugly.

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Far away however, the one who had come to the aid of Uryuu and Renji was none other than Mayuri Kurotsuchi who was gleefully holding his zanpakuto despite Syael having crushed all his organs. The Octavo Espada could only stare in horror for he never met a man who was as deranged and as smart as himself. "That's impossible! I crushed every possible organ in your body and yet here you are," –pointing the deranged captain of Squad Twelve, "standing and talking to me like it was nothing!"

Kurotsuchi explained. "A mad scientist is always prepared. I needed to make sure that I was prepared so those little bacteria," –pointing to Uryuu, "I put in his body watched every move he made and I was able to analyse you before I even came out here. So," –Kurotsuchi allowed Syael to do his worst, "go on and take Nemu. I can easily rebuild her again after all."

Syael was sure this man has lost his mind. "Are you sure? I can easily crush her," –making the grip on his Nemu's neck tighter, "like a toothpick."

The girl suffered lack of oxygen and Syael continued to crush Nemu until he had a better idea. "I think there's something else I can do."

Renji and Uryuu stared in horror as he suddenly vanished and Nemu started acting all weird and her body began contorting itself. A maniacal laugh filled the air and there was no doubt that Syael had taken over her body. Uryuu couldn't feel his body after his organs getting crushed and Renji's limbs were kinda useless as well. Kurotsuchi didn't seem bothered. "Go ahead. But, there is something I have to warn you about."

Before he could warn the man anything, Syael had felt the effects of the huge amounts of poison in Nemu's body. She had antibodies while he didn't. The poison's effects were terrible and the only thing Uryuu ended up hearing was the sound of Syael screaming in pain and wanting freedom from his life which Mayuri didn't give him. He turned towards the Quincy. "I see that you went here by yourself."

Uryuu's eyes widened. "No but still, if you captains are here, who's guarding Soul Society?"

Kurotsuchi told him. "Oh come on now, are you too much of an idiot to realize that sou-taichou would send everyone here? Please," –Kurotsuchi felt like he was dealing with a dense student, "he only sent half the brigade and everyone else, is staying back…"

Renji thought the idea was great but there were a couple of loopholes. "Oh come on, didn't you know the princess too ran off with us?"

Kurotsuchi smiled maniacally (though you cannot see it). "Of course we knew, you ignorant fool. That girl's got a head harder than a mule. Did you really think we would leave the girl unguarded? Also, why would I leave one of the best experimental subjects unguarded when there is so much work to be done and so much data to collect from her?"

Renji's face became awkward; that didn't seem to be an appropriate reason. However, Kurotsuchi continued to explain. "One of the captains actually offered to personally guard her to make up for the mistakes and disrespect."

Renji queried. "May I ask… who did they send?"

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"So," –Diva asked, "you chose to come here? I'm not saying that I don't require your help but it's your sentiments that I'm worried about."

The second division captain, Soi Fon was the one assigned to her. "About that, your highness. Please forgive my atrocious actions. Please allow me to redeem myself by protecting you."

Diva let out sigh; seeing that arguing with Soi Fon was getting nowhere. "Alright. First thing we should do: leave. Sado is in no condition to move anymore and I don't think I want to risk any other casualties as long as we're here. We get everyone out of here. Inoue-san's deeper in the castle and all those who are injured better get out of here."

Soi Fon nodded while snapping her fingers. "Definitely," –at her every beck and call, there were dark corps near her, "all of you, find those who are injured and bring them out. Diva-sama, what do you plan on doing?"

Diva looked into the blank sky. "We're going to head towards the battlefield soon. Sado-san, you better go with them. I'll go join you guys later but right now," –Diva seemed to have another motive, "I'm going to see something and get some answers."

Diva vanished while Soi Fon followed after her. There was a second motive and Diva wasn't telling her what. Maybe it was a plan to weaken Aizen more and take some information while they were at it. However, that didn't seem to be the case anymore because when they reached the throne room. It was empty and no one was there. They've been fooled!

Diva clucked her tongue. "This isn't good. Inoue must be somewhere here! She couldn't have gone very far! Soi Fon-taichou, we need to get out of here and head to Karakura! The war's about to begin!"

-That's Chapter 9! Please review!


	10. Karakura's Song Part 2

(I don't own Bleach or anything that I accidentally integrate into it!)

Chapter 10 – Karakura's Song

After assessing the situation, Diva felt that there was something wrong. Aizen was bringing out most of the Espada and from what she remembered from the research that she performed, the Hogyoku would have at least created ten Vastrolorde level hollows. Aizen was being a little too predictable in her opinion, what made him this way? Was he hiding another arrancar within Hueco Mundo? But, that couldn't be it because if he did; it would be hard to control due to the lust for souls and more power. However, she knew that they had to focus to the next task at hand and that was dishing out justice to Aizen's actions. Soi Fon had already taken the wounded comrades to safety and the last left were the Execution Squad, Ichigo, Rukia and maybe Renji and Uryuu. "Hadou number five, Spirit Caller," Diva cast while trying to locate the missing team members.

"Fukurou, you slow dim-witted ass," –exasperatedly yelled an impatient Jin through the kidou, "where the hell are you? I've been rotting my ass off here because the hollows were no match for ouji-sama's skills! You better start moving your ass, Fukurou!"

Diva could've sworn she had a vein popping at the back of her head yet remained stoic in replying. "I'm already at the fifth floor. I'm trying to locate Inoue as fast as possible. Have you contacted the others?"

"Diva-nee-sama," yelled Miko from the other end, "there's a huge reiatsu heading towards Karakura! Reika only told me now and the hollows we fought here…!"

"I know," Diva cut her off smoothly, "weren't even part of the Elite Force known as the 'Espada'. Where are you and Shana? Have you guys taken out your obstacles so far? How about the Kurosaki-kun and Rukia-chan? Are they anywhere near you?"

"I found Rukia," –commented Reika at the other end, "she's in no condition to get up though. The last arrancar whom she dealt with was only number nine and she nearly got clobbered if not for Sir I'm-better-than-everyone. If number nine is that strong, what about us? I know I'm a lieutenant but that doesn't mean I can easily dish out damage like the Supreme Captain! I don't think we'll even dent Aizen's forces at this rate. The closest in power in taking out the Espada are probably you, Jin and Kurosaki. Nobody else here can dish out damage the way you guys can."

Diva stopped dead in her tracks. This time, they were caught in a corner. The Espada were beyond their strength and were a match for captains. Rukia barely made it out alive and she wasn't even sure of the others. "What about the Quincy and Renji? Any luck?"

"Uryuu-san's a mess," whined Shana at one end, "he looks like his organs went through a meat grinder!"

"What about Renji?" Diva asked calmly.

"Whoopee," –Jin laughed at one end, "he looks like a pile of shit right now. But the good news is: Kurotsuchi and his android are making sure that they'll be home in one piece."

Diva was now considering making Jin run one hundred laps if he didn't stop swearing. However, the news wasn't pleasant either. Four of their team members were in the worst possible condition and she just had to hope that Aizen or no arrancar reached their destination to blow holes into their heads. "Alright, change of plans," –Diva ordered, "everyone head towards the fifth floor with me. The ones, who are injured, find any captain or Shinigami to at least pull them together. Execution Squad, meet me at the fifth floor. We're going to take Inoue by force whether Aizen likes it or not."

"Hai," rang the reply from the kidou.

Diva cut the kidou technique and continued darting towards the doors. This was the worst possible time; she knew there were times when her strategy went horribly wrong but this was on an entire new level of wrong. This was completely something that she had never encountered; there was no way she and the execution squad could take the Espada one by one. The ratio would have to be five is to one to take down one arrancar. The other factors she had to consider were their supply of reiryouku if they had enough to hold off one more attack. She knew that Miko would probably get the yips again at the sight of battle and she wasn't sure that Jin could hold off despite all his tough talking. He had been concerned over the air head ever since and Diva knew exactly why. Shana had also shown extensive concern to Uryuu and Miko was, well, being looked after Byakuya as always. Reika seemed to be guarded also by Ukitake; he watched over her carefully and made sure she came home in one piece. She however…

"_Are being looked after by Captain Hitsugaya," _–meekly admitted her zanpakuto, _"Diva, have you noticed the way the captain acts around you? Unlike those high standing fools, he actually treats you like a normal Shinigami. To him, you're just Fukurou Diva and he's just Captain Hitsugaya Toushiro. Your face seems to change temperature and colour as well every time he gets closer to you."_

Diva quickly cancelled her feelings. "Shukumei, are you insisting that I have a crush on my own captain?"

"_Indeed," _–Shukumei remarked offhandedly, _"you protect him when he needs your help. You both fight side by side like you've known each other for years. Yet, you only notice now because you two have been synchronizing subconsciously."_

Diva shook her head. "I'm only revealing my loyalty to my captain, not my affection."

"_You're sounding so traditional, mistress," _–Shukumei smirked, _"there is such a thing called 'evolving affection'."_

Diva could only sigh while Shukumei continued to prod about her affection towards her captain. Diva blocked out all unnecessary thoughts until she saw the end of the fifth floor hallway and there stood Orihime and next to her was another Espada. His green orbs locked on to Diva who seemed to be unrattled. She saw Orihime who was beyond terrified in an Espada uniform. "She was forced to come," –Diva smirked, "wasn't she?"

"So what if she was?" the arrancar eyed her warily.

"That means," the silver haired Shinigami drew out her zanpakuto, "she is something worth saving. Rather, it's kidnapping and I made a little vow – I'm going to protect everyone with my life. So, arrancar or not, I'm going to beat you!"

The arrancar showed no sign of intimidation. "I'd like to see you try."

Without any warning, Diva flashed away with her blade singing into the air. The sound of steel clashing against each other echoed through the hallways and Orihime drew back in horror. She didn't recognize who Diva was but she somehow seemed very familiar. However, as long as she wore the Espada uniform, she couldn't do anything to help her but the battle looked like Diva didn't need any help at all. The silver haired girl wasn't a valedictorian for nothing; she managed to swing past him adroitly and take away his sword. "Hadou number eighty one, Sokatsui!"

Blue fires appeared and the arrancar managed to dodge them. "Excuse me; before we kill each other, I believe that an introduction is in order. Ulquiorra Schiffer of the Espada."

Diva smirked. "Fukurou Diva, third seat of Squad Ten."

"Are you sure," –Ulquiorra proceeded to fire another cero blast; "your reiatsu begs to differ. Your fighting style and the calmness that you possess despite fighting someone who is equal to your level. It shows you are no Third Seat, little girl."

Diva dodged every shot while a faint smile painted itself on her face. "It's because I know, what true despair is. I've faced a stronger opponent and have known true despair. I've laughed at the sight of fear, I've cried at the sight of death –the only reason why I remain stoic is because I know that I'm going to win!"

The claymore hummed while shining in a silvery white colour that clashed against Ulquiorra's sword. Orihime only stared in horror as the smaller Shinigami managed to match up to Ulquiorra without exerting much effort unless necessary. She quickly parried blows and sometimes, the shock was so strong that it sent both fighters flying. Diva smiled. "Looks like we're even despite us holding back…"

Ulquiorra smirked while he finally released his zanpakuto. "Indeed."

Both fighters drew out their swords to full power and huge shockwaves of reiryouku bounced off the wall. Later, the entire Execution Squad came in with a shocked look on their faces. Ichigo couldn't believe what he was seeing and many of the captains too were shocked by it. Byakuya, Unohana, Kenpachi was shocked while Kurotsuchi continued to take data. "A girl who defies all data…"

Diva's eyes changed from silver into a beautiful cerulean colour. Her sword flung itself gracefully with no wasted energy as she revealed how powerful she was. Ulquiorra showed signs of fatigue every time her sword came in contact with his zanpakuto. Their blows were sharp but very well calculate until Ulquiorra found Inoue missing and with Ichigo. The orange haired Ryoka managed to find a slot where he could easily snatch Inoue under the Arrancar's nose. Ulquiorra glared at the girl. "You did all that flailing to buy time."

Diva smiled despite being caught red handed. "Who said I needed to defeat you? I just needed enough time for Ichigo to take Inoue. We're going to Karakura; we'll blow Aizen and take out all his hollows."

However, Ulquiorra barred the doors with a glint of anger radiating from his eyes. "I don't think that would be possible."

The group realized that they were trapped and Ichigo told everyone. "I'll handle this guy. The objective was to get Inoue out of here right?"

Byakuya gave him a placid look. "True. But –only an insane man would face an arrancar by himself."

"Which connotes that I am insane to take on Ulquiorra," Ichigo astutely replied, "but, you guys better go back to Karakura Town. I'll take this guy down. Inoue, go with them!"

The brunette stared at Kurosaki for a moment while Jin grabbed Orihime's arm. "Come on, we can't stay here! Knowing those two, the place will crash! Their reiatsu's hitting the roof and oh crap," his eyes widened, "guys, we got company!"

Everyone saw lower class hollows surrounding them and most of these were fraccions under Ulquiorra. "I see you've met my subordinates. Every Espada has his own subordinates known as the Fraccion. Good luck in dealing with mine," –snapping his fingers, Ulquiorra smirked while the hollows rushed towards them like a maddened bull. All Shinigami drew their swords; Jin smiled at Orihime. "Trust us, m'kay? We can dish out ten times more damage than they can!"

Kenpachi was first to deal a blow. "CHAAAAAARGE!"

Byakuya was actually more concerned for Miko but this time he noticed a shift in her style, she didn't hold back. She started glowing in an ominous black aura that could scare people within a hundred feet. "Curse, Fukitsu Kage!"

Her staff appeared and she swung it with rapid movements. Shana began firing arrows and this time, Miko didn't seem to hold back because the hollows began drawing away from her but her staff seemed to crush their masks like a sledge hammer on cement. Shana's arrows continued to pierce whatever it could but somehow, the fraccions were faster. The Shinigami were cornered like rats and the fight between Ichigo and Ulquiorra wasn't getting any better. Diva's strikes took out a few but there was something wrong. No matter how many times she cut one of the hollows down, it would get up and walk towards her.

Reika yelled. "Leave it to me, buchou!"

Her scythe came down and hacked the thing in half. Reika's red blood hair with her jet black eyes glistened with bloodlust. "Killing time."

She vanished once more and created circular waves that cut through the hollows. Most of the hollows were low level so that was fine; the thing that made it bad was that they were all worn out from their previous battles. Byakuya called out. "Miko, surround us with a barrier!"

The blonde drew back her attack and cast. "Hadou Number Four, Shield of Light!"

A white shield appeared and blocked all kinds of cero coming from the hollows. Unohana sighed. "We can't keep this up forever. Sooner or later, Kurosaki will run low on reiryouku and so will Shougetsu. Unless you have an attack that will take them all in one shot, Captain Kuchiki, I suggest you do it now."

Byakuya didn't hesitate to do what Unohana was mentioning. Activating his bankai, Byakuya dropped his sword and the blade simply vanished. "Bankai… Senbonzakura…"

Pink blades appeared behind him and began attacking at full force. Blades pierced the hollows but it wasn't enough, it took maybe around twenty blades to kill one hollow. Miko was already getting burdened and Jin saw that Orihime was the only one who could create a shield that was even stronger. "Hey, Inoue-chan, can you create a barrier? Make it big and impenetrable! Oh and wait for me to get out before that…!"

Orihime didn't know what to do so she simply obeyed and she simply summoned her power. "I reject thee…"

An orange shield appeared and anything that hit it simply bounced off. The attacks were nowhere strong enough to even puncture a hole and Jin escaped the barrier in order to go and help Ichigo. Diva yelled. "Kanagura, get back here!"

Jin didn't seem to hear her because he clashed swords with Ulquiorra and made sure he made a mark on the arrancar. Ulquiorra parried the hatchet axe but Jin used his full body weight to hold down Ulquiorra's zanpakuto and Ichigo managed to deal a blow but Ulquiorra wasn't the least bit disturbed by it. He then blew the roof and smirked. "Kurosaki, if you're having such a hard time now, then I pity you once I release my full power."

Gold light began to appear and Jin revealed his bankai. "Hello, dipstick. Meet my friend, Eikochouchin. Hope I get to hack your head off!"

Jin lunged forward and started swinging his hatchet axe in random patterns. Gold flashes appeared in the air and their blades were singing in a low hummed tune but there was so much explosion that it was hard to tell. Ichigo swung Zangetsu. "Getsuga Tenshou!"

A black wave soared into the air and made sure it made a permanent mark on the building. Ulquiorra now was at full power and this time, he managed to send Jin flying towards the barrier violently. Ichigo growled. "Bastard…!"

He flung himself towards Ulquiorra and flashes of light appeared. Reiatsu bounced off the wall and Ulquiorra was slowly revealing that Ichigo and he were leagues apart. Jin growled. "Damn it!"

He was too busy running wild that he didn't know that more hollows came up behind him. Lucky for him, a blue eyed Shinigami revealed herself with a faint black aura and another with a pair of silver pools with a whitish silver colour. The girl smiled. 'I told you not to get careless yet, you still do things so recklessly. Kanagura, let me show you how it's done.'

Diva left her after image and struck with amazing speed. The hollows fell one after the other and a huge black cat appeared behind her when the hollows have thought she had left herself open. Miko stood behind her with a stoic look with a black aura forcing the hollows to shrink away. Shana's smile became maniacal while her powers went wild. However, unlike the former users of Shinijikumaru, Shana had known where to shoot. Whatever was about to strike her teammates, that's what she had to kill. She didn't care how far, as long as she got the job done. Reika was also doing her part of the battle pretty well, considering that twenty hollows now lay at her feet.

Kenpachi had been going wild for some time now. Huge sparks of reiatsu burst from left and right and he made sure that everything fell. Jin wasn't holding back either. Byakuya was just sighing on how complicated things were becoming and Kurotsuchi was using his mutated bankai thing to take out whatever was there. Byakuya was more or less concentrating on Miko who seemed to be handling herself quite well. Her skills improved and she seemed to take more independence despite him being around, was it because she wasn't connected to her mind?

He saw her buchou, the silver haired princess of Soul Society. The young noble seemed quite adept in dealing with multiple opponents. She adroitly wielded her blade in order to take out a bigger number of hollows with less effort. However, all their battles stopped when they found blood dripping from above and there hung Ichigo with a huge hole in his chest. Orihime was completely startled and her mouth ran dry. Jin, upon seeing this, didn't want to forgive Ulquiorra no matter what. He looked at the brunette with a gentle look he thought he never would dish out and then with his facing contorting with anger, he howled. "Damn you!"

He lunged again despite Diva trying to grab on to him. Jin slammed Eikochouchin once more on Ulquiorra's zanpakuto but there was nothing. What Jin revealed now was nothing to Ulquiorra who simply grabbed him by the throat and was ready to crush his windpipe. Miko jumped on the walls in order to knock down Ulquiorra but no avail because she too got strangled. Byakuya of course didn't like the sight of this and Senbonzakura's swords flew into the air. Aiming it for him, Byakuya had dropped all logic and decided to pierce the man whether it was helpful or not. Predicting this, Ulquiorra smashed the pink blades and let a few scuff Jin and Miko.

Byakuya then realized how rattled he was. Seeing Miko in danger, that wasn't a good thing. His body glowed and his reiatsu was smashing the shield of Orihime when he released the final form of his bankai. Diva saw what was going to happen and she knew that if he released all his power now, everything will come crashing on them. She looked at Jin and Miko and her eyes became cerulean once more. Releasing her reiryouku, she managed to slice off Ulquiorra's arms and land with both Jin and Miko who were briefly unconscious. Seeing the instability of the place, she yelled. "Everyone get out! Now!"

-That's chapter 10! I hope you like it!


	11. Winter War

(I don't own Bleach!)

Chapter 11 – Winter War

With everything crashing down on them, they couldn't do much. Ulquiorra had surpassed Ichigo and somehow, the Ryoka began getting up and a huge hollow mask began covering his face. Diva didn't want to believe what was happening but like she had any other choice. She turned to Unohana. "Captain Unohana, if you are all here, where are the other captains? Shouldn't Karakura be under protection? I mean – Kuchiki-taichou is here, so's Zaraki-taichou and even Kurotsuchi-taichou, where are the others? "

Unohana passed her a wry smile. "Before coming here, we made it a mental note to make sure that we didn't come unprepared and Karakura unguarded. Also – Yamamoto-sou taichou had prepared the others to go against Aizen when he arrived at Karakura Town."

Reika gave her a look of aghast. "But if that's the case, then that means it's going to become a battlefield and there are going to be casualties here and there! What were you guys thinking? Are you guys crazy enough to use Karakura Town which is loaded with innocent bystanders as a battlefield!?"

Unohana gave her a calm reply. "We hid the real Karakura Town somewhere else. All those who are not concerned with the war are asleep which is why there are only three of us captains here."

Reika gave a look to Diva. "Which means, Ukitake-taichou, Hitsugaya-taichou, Soi Fon-taichou, Kyoraku-taichou and Yamamoto-sou-taichou are out there? Is that what I think it is? Because," –pointing out to Unohana, "I don't think that's a good idea."

Diva mentally kicked herself. "Aizen knew about Kurosaki's escapade. He knew that he was going to come and attack. Let's just hope that sou-taichou is strong enough to kill him because other than that, he's the only one strong enough to take Aizen."

Shana looked at Diva. "Nee-sama, did Kurosaki no baka ever have horns and long hair?"

The silver haired girl was appalled by Shana's question. "Huh? I don't think so."

Laying Jin and Miko down, Diva looked up and saw a rampaging Ichigo. "Oh lord have mercy on us, he's…hollowificated."

Ichigo didn't waste any time in kicking Ulquiorra's butt to next Tuesday but something seemed dreadfully wrong; it was as if he no longer had his humanity inside him or rather, something was eating his humanity inside out. That could only mean one thing: he was submitting or rather, he was too unconscious to notice anything that was happening to his spirit. If things progressed any further, Ichigo would turn into a complete hollow and they would be forced to kill him. Thus in doing so, would lose a valuable asset to Soul Society and also, give Aizen the upper hand. Diva wasn't sure whether or not Aizen had predicted this but it was maybe a low probability he had considered which is why he left Ulquiorra to deal with him.

Diva looked around and ordered. "Reika, Shana, get Jin and Miko to safety! This place is going to crash! Take Inoue with you also!"

However, Orihime vehemently protested. "I can't! Kurosaki-kun is still up there and…!"

"He did this because he wanted to protect you Orihime," Diva spoke to her calmly, "he was awakened by your voice and he's now in that vicious state because of that. I don't know how to stop him but if things progress any worse, I would be forced to take his life."

Orihime didn't know what to say but the only thing she could do was beg. "Please, let me stay… Just for a little while. Let me help him!"

Diva couldn't fight that face; she knew she couldn't. She understood Orihime's dedication to Ichigo and wished she could beg to differ. "Alright, Inoue you win. If he doesn't shift after thirty minutes, I will take him down and drag him to Karakura with us, kicking and screaming if he has to be."

"I'll stay also," added a Quincy who was still partially busted.

Diva couldn't believe this recklessness; didn't they want to live? Isn't it normal for someone wanting themselves to live? If so, why did they recklessly put their lives on the line for somebody? Orihime she could understand but as far as she was concerned, Uryuu Ishida was a Quincy and they hated Shinigami to the bone. She didn't want to do it but, she had no other choice; they were his friends after all. With a smirk, she allowed them. "Alright, I'll give you thirty minutes. Not a minute more."

They both nodded while Diva told Reika and Shana. "Never mind, there's been a change of plans! Reika, Shana stall the hollows! Unohana-taichou, if I may ask, can you please heal the two? Jin and Miko rushed in recklessly to fight Ulquiorra and well, you know the rest. Kuchiki-taichou, I hope you don't mind if I fight side by side with you and Zaraki-taichou."

Byakuya's look remained impassive though he allowed a small smile to escape. "It would be an honor, Fukurou-sama."

"Please," –unsheathing her sword, Diva faced the hollows in front of them, "call me Diva-san if you can."

A fraccion ran towards Diva swinging his claws while the silver haired tensai dodged it. He hollered. "I'm José Luis, fraccion of Barrangan-sama! I will not allow you to pass! Enslave, Asesino de La Vid!" (Enslave, Vine Slayer)

Diva fixed her sword to a certain position. "Fifth Counter, Sharin no Unmei…"

A white circle appeared around her as José Luis rushed towards her with swinging whips. Diva had anticipated this and had seen his blind spot; this was something she had been waiting for. "This is the raw form of my Gin'nei ken, Kousokuken…" (Quick Sword)

The Sharin no Unmei was a blast surround attack while she leaped forward to slash in all sorts of angles. Her mastery of the Quick Draw was evident; even Zaraki was astounded by the fact that she looked like she didn't even draw her sword. Byakuya quickly assessed that this was to make up for her skinny frame and rather petite arms and legs. Miko and Reika were like that also while Shana and Jin were leaning more to the brawn side. However, Diva seemed to be more in between the two rather than leaning to one; what seemed to make up for this was her fast thinking and quick analysis of the situation. It was no wonder she was made leader; no wonder why Miko held deep respect for the third seat. It was also amazing that someone who is of higher rank (Reika) and someone who was more brute force than brain (Jin) would follow her. She earned their respect quite well.

"Jin, take out that other arrancar," ordered the princess from one side.

"Yeah, yeah, I got it," Jin drawled in a kansai dialect.

One of the arrancar was a fraccion who went by the name Luz. She was flying the air while using her zanpakuto, Pluma Blanca (White Feather). Despite her being in the air, Jin had more of the advantage because of his bankai which took form of a huge gold dragon: Ougenkinzora, Eikochouchin. The dragon lashed out mercilessly while Shana had brought out her frilled lizard into play. "Shinijikumaru, Isenhikutoge!" (One Thousand Thorns)

The frilled lizard spread out its fan with an open mouth. From the tip of the fan and from its mouth, many pink thorns flew and pierced many of the Arrancars' masks. Unohana was shocked at Shana's accuracy because not many people aimed for the mask of the hollow and just chose to saw its head off. In other words, Shana was doing one shot kills with her zanpakuto. While firing, Shana didn't realize that one of the fraccion came up behind her. With a maniacal grin, he was ready to grab her until something shot him through. The lavenderette girl looked at the Quincy who shot it for her. "You alright, Shana-san?"

The girl felt blush creeping up her cheeks when she saw the Quincy look with a certain amount of intensity. "Um… I fine. Thank you, Uryuu-san!"

He walked up to her. "You should relax your shoulders a little more, that way, your shot would be more accurate."

She nodded. "Um… hai!"

Reika glanced at Shana and whispered to Diva. "Is that what I think it is?"

The silver haired princess took down another one. "Focus on the battle, Reika. Don't get careless."

"Right, right," Reika smirked while she swung her scythe in a wide arc, "honestly, I don't see the point in biding time for Strawberry up there. You think you can somehow explain to me when you could easily drag Kurosaki back kicking and screaming?"

Diva didn't bother lying. "Jin cares for her."

"Huh?" Reika didn't expect that answer.

"Her," –referring to Orihime, Diva continued to keep a poker face in battle, "he cares for the airhead so much to the point he wanted to take Ulquiorra on his own. His reiatsu today soared a little because of this; the best thing we can do now is buy them thirty minutes in order to make sure we go home with everyone's head attached to their shoulders."

Reika looked at her with an eyebrow raised. "But, I don't think you'll drag them back in thirty minutes right?"

Diva's eyes flashed at her. "Was it that easy to notice?"

"No," Reika shrugged, "I've been your friend for awhile so, it kinda licks on to me. You're too kind for your own good, buchou. Even if you made us run laps in Seireitei. You're just too kind for your own good, buchou."

Diva kicked another one down the stairs. "Too kind? If I were too kind – then, I'd be sparing these hollows. But, it seems I'm not."

Reika looked at her buchou remain with a cold, hard and strict look while she adroitly dealt with the hollows. Reika began continuously slashing until she saw a large beam explode from above. Reika's eyes widened. "That didn't look like a good sign…"

"Ishida-san!" yelled a voice.

They saw a falling Quincy with a black sword impaling him and Shana wasted no time at all in catching him. She knew too well who this zanpakuto belonged to. "Kurosaki Ichigo…!"

Shana began glowing in this dark pink colour which was never a good sign. The sealing cross she kept tightly wound around her wrist was beginning to crack while she began releasing her reiatsu all over the place. Unohana felt its demeanor and it wasn't a good thing; Shana managed to paralyze all the fraccions in a single sweep while she was starting to run wild. Miko's black aura shrank in fear of Shana's, Reika didn't know how to deal with her and Jin was quite astounded that a little girl such as she could maintain such power. Unohana walked over to the Quincy-Shinigami while trying to calm down the poor girl. "Shana, please calm down. This place is going to break down and you'll crush everyone in it."

Shana however remained defiant and refused to listen. "How dare he…! It's not fair! Why did a hollow like him win!?"

Her aura began reaching a new level of powerful when she began blasting her powers. Miko slowly sat up and yelled. "Shana-chan! No! Your limit!"

Shana didn't seem to care whether or not she hit her limit because she bounced away and went towards Ulquiorra and Ichigo's fight. Diva knew she had to stop her before anything worse began to happen. Diva then tapped into thirty percent of her true strength and bounced towards Shana who was exceeding the speed of sound. Ichigo saw Shana's rampage and made an attempt to blast her but Diva sawed the shot in half before it could reach the girl and she grabbed Shana's collar when she saw the latter zip past her.

Byakuya thought. "Just as I thought, this girl's so unstable that she's almost uncontrollable."

Uryuu saw Shana hit the ground and he yelled. "What are you trying to--?"

Reika put her scythe in front of him with a glare. "Let Diva-buchou handle this."

Shana struggled like a wild animal and Diva had to suppress every ounce of Shana's reiryouku before it became youki. Any farther than what Shana was doing, the young girl would have changed into a hollow or something even worse. Shinijikumaru was the source of famine and she knew one thing: Shana was famished for revenge; ever since that day she had been left alone, Diva had always been her caretaker. Many students thought she was clingy but that was understandable for a child whose mother left her to die. Diva looked deep into Shana's mind before doing anything more drastic. She then saw images of the Quincy; Shana had been in contact with Uryuu before she just didn't remember.

Zaraki muttered. "That's one hell of an unstable brat."

Jin got up after recovering from his lack of oxygen. "Whoa, I thought I was going to die. What happened to the midget now?"

Miko gulped. "She wants to kill Ichigo but we can't let her do that!"

Uryuu saw Shana crying because she was confused while Diva kept a cold hard face. Finally, Diva chose to repair the seal before Shana cracked it completely. "Orihime, you have the power of spatial event rejection right?"

The brunette nodded. "Yes… why?"

Diva told her. "I need you to repair the seal. Make it return back to its full and normal state, I'll suppress Shana's reiryouku. Reika, Miko, Jin, I need you guys to hold her down!"

Jin shrugged. "That can be arranged."

Getting the butt end of his hatchet axe, Jin hit Shana squarely in the gut which caused her to lose consciousness and made her stop flailing. Reika kicked him. "You stupid bastard! Why did you hit her!? She said restrain! Not to box her with the butt end of your stupid axe!"

Jin retorted. "What else was I supposed to do!? Hack off her arms and legs!?"

"No," screamed Reika, "you could've just used your arms and restrained her!"

Luckily, Orihime's powers sealed up Shana's dark reiryouku once again and the little girl was unconscious. Uryuu went past them and asked about his fellow Quincy. "Will she be alright?"

Breathing in relief, Diva fell back. "She'll be fine. Jin knocked her out for awhile. What about Ichigo though?"

They looked up and found Ichigo landing on the ground and him trying to rip off something. Miko gulped. "Buchou…!"

Diva let out a sigh and with a simple touch of Shukumei, his mask slowly decimated away revealing his scowling face again. "What the hell did you do?"

"I purified you," Diva simply said, "your reiatsu was becoming so erratic so, I decided to fix you while I was it. You just ran your friend through like a barbecue though. What were you thinking?"

Ichigo sheepishly scratched his head. "You know what? I don't know."

Diva gave the others her usual cold and taciturn look. "Alright, everyone, head to Karakura! There's a war going on and I don't like it. We have to end this war before he finds the second alternative!"

They nodded until Byakuya decided to raise the question. "What second alternative?"

Everyone fell into a deep silence while Diva remained turned away. "Captain Yamamoto knows more than I do. Believe me – the only thing I know about his second alternative is that, it's the place where all zanpakuto are coming from."

They exchanged looks while Zaraki decided to break the silence. "So, what the hell are we waiting for? Let's kick some hollow ass!"

Jin nodded. "Question, how do we get to Karakura from a dump like this?"

Diva didn't want to do it but like she had any other choice. "Hadou Number Two Fifty, Dimension Slasher."

A hole tore itself open and everyone was shocked. Byakuya sternly reminded her. "That is a forbidden kidou spell, where in the world…?"

"My brother," –she cut him off simply, "he was under someone before we all know too well. He was also under a captain who was quite skilled in this before he became captain of the tenth division."

Before anyone could question who, Diva had already went through the portal with Miko, Reika, Shana and Jin while the others followed the suit.

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In Karakura however, things were not as pretty as expected. Hinamori had her side stabbed through and Matsumoto was in worse condition. Hitsugaya clashed swords with Halibel and sent her flying. The woman didn't expect someone so small to be that fast. She drew out both her swords and began clashing. Soi Fon had beaten her opponent along with Omaeda and some others. Hitsugaya had many swords to block, duck from and maybe even evade from. This was getting repetitive.

Hitsugaya's forehead creased. "Why does this have to be so difficult?"

He saw Hinamori including herself in the battle; she was already suffering from the first emotional breakdown and now she was going to crack again. Aizen was there with a smirk and he had sent his fraccions to get them all killed. Halibel had also noticed that Yamamoto had officially singed all her fraccions in a single sweep and wasn't even trying. "I'll kill you now, brat. I hope you don't mind."

Rushing towards Hitsugaya, Halibel made it clear why she was number three though she should be number two. Her swordsmanship was superb and even Hitsugaya was breaking a sweat over it. He couldn't predict the pathway of attack and when she was about to deal the final blow, her sword went flying out of her hand and Hitsugaya's eyes widened at what he was seeing.

Diva at her fullest form. Her claymore shone with a glittering white light while she smiled. "Second Counter, Bara Otoshi." (Rose Drop)

Halibel couldn't believe what she was seeing but then, Diva straightened up and put her sword into its sheathe on her back. With a smile, Diva began her counter attack. "First Counter, Kousokuken…" (First Counter, Quick Sword)

Her sword flew swiftly and while Halibel tried to counter it, it almost seemed impossible until she noticed that there was a flaw: Diva expelled heavy amounts of reiryouku and using this technique not only wasted it but also tired her out as well. Halibel then caught her sword in between two of her swords. "Got you, brat. Anything else you want to waste your energy on? Perhaps another burst of energy?"

Diva seemed to smile at her entrapment. "No. Jin, now!"

Looking up, a brunette was flinging his hatchet axe all over the place like some mad fool. All the captains were shocked to see that some had returned, including Hitsugaya who saw Diva in full condition. "Taichou?"

He looked up at her when she gave him a small smile. "Don't get careless next time."

Smirking, he got up and pulled out Hyourinmaru and gave her a look. "Can your body handle what damage your planning to dish out?"

Diva drew her sword. "Of course."

Hitsugaya shunpo far to one side while Diva used her third counter, the Gin'nei po to another side and everyone heard their shikai command.

"Souten ni zase, Hyourinmaru!" (Sit upon the frozen heavens, Hyourinmaru)

"Ginsei no sora ni sasayake, Shukumei!" (Whisper into the silver sky, Shukumei)

Miko popped her whistle into her mouth. "Curse, Fukitsu Kage!"

This is something Aizen didn't expect; the appearance of the huge black cat of calamity came knocking on his door and many of Barrangan's fraccions were trashed by this insanely big cat. The blonde stood on top of it while the Arrancars were busy trying to dodge it. Shana brought out her bow. "Ikiwatare, Shinijikumaru!" (Spread, Shinijikumaru!)

The frilled lizard appeared and many of the Shinigami now realized that all of hell's zanpakuto were with them as their weapons. Jin and Diva were the only two who managed to somehow keep them under control since they wielded the heaven's zanpakuto: Shukumei and Eikochouchin. Shana's attack was followed by a huge crimson wave. "Kuronuri no enkai ni kihake, Shukketsu Boumei-sha!" (Drive into the blackened ocean, Shukketsu Boumei-sha)

Ukitake was surprised to see his lieutenant fighting with full force. Soi Fon had also noticed Miko's non restraint of her strength and Hisagi's eyes widened when he saw a little girl summon a huge lizard that shot out pink arrows from its mouth and fan. He looked at Renji. "How the hell do they do these things?"

Renji shrugged. "Believe me, I myself don't know, senpai."

Kenpachi stared at the destructive three before he once again was thrilled to battle while Byakuya and Unohana returned to the lines. Yamamoto simply smiled slightly at what he was seeing. The battle was ending up in their favor and Ichigo was helping out also. Mayuri being the weirdo he was sent his lieutenant to do the work. Renji, Kira, Hisagi and Momo decided to enter the battle and the fraccions were being driven back. However, things then came to a sudden stop when Tousen stepped out with his zanpakuto drawn out.

"Cry, Suzumushi."

A wild noise erupted and then, it became silent. The whole place was darkened and the only one who could see was Tousen. Jin muttered. "Shit, this always has to happen. He always has to put us in this puny dark box well, I'm about to hack my way out now!"

All the captains were scattered; Suzumushi cut off all their senses and no one could sense their way out. But, there was one person who seemed to have the upper hand in this situation and it was Miko. Her cat was outside and could very well break barriers. Diva ordered. "Miko, break the barrier!"

The blonde didn't seem to hesitate. "Alright, Fukitsu Kage, Kage no Kizu!" (Shadow Scar)

The cat seemed to hear her because after three seconds, the bankai snapped into pieces and they all stood surrounded in a circle. Yumichika passed a look to Jin. "Hey, you have any ideas, fourth seat?"

Jin raised his hatchet axe. "Second Form, Ryuu!" (Dragon – no, it is not Kouganei Kaoru's Kougon Anki)

From a hatchet axe, it began extending and revealing a long chain with two scythes at each end. Ikkaku stared at him like he was an idiot. "Okay, what's that going to do?"

"Simple," –swinging it hard, he began slashing all over the place until they were all in the air, "Fukurou, now!"

Diva jumped high into the air. "Fourth Counter, Kochou Kuchiduke." (Butterfly Kiss)

This counter was created to take down multiple opponents in the air. Swinging and creating a cross slash, Diva smiled when her pattern revealed a silver butterfly. Miko saw this as an opportunity to try out her other technique. Jumping in the air, she swung her staff down. "Hamutsu e no Warutsu!" (Waltz Towards Destruction)

The fraccions were whittled down one by one and only to reveal a very pissed off Shana with her bow glowing with a pink light and the arrow shaped more like a razor. "Razor Beam!"

The beam cut through the hollows like a hot knife through butter while red coated the blue sky. Aizen seemed to be very impressed seeing that his Arrancars were being eliminated. The captains also busied themselves in taking out a few more while the Execution Squad did a lot of damage to Aizen's forces. Ichimaru took a look at Aizen. "You look like you were expecting this, Aizen."

"I was," Aizen replied with a smirk, "I've been wanting to see how much of a weakling Soul Society is without their princess."

Vanishing, Aizen encountered Diva and pushed her to the far end of the battle field. "Shall we dance?"

Diva didn't seem intimidated. "Dance me if you can, Aizen." (Inspired by a song, I don't own it!)

Both fighters took out their frustrations on each other. Diva remained impassive while Aizen had a smirk plastered all over his face. She was wondering: what was this man hiding? Why did he drag her all the way out here? What was his main objective? It didn't seem like obliterating Karakura Town anymore seeing that he didn't care whether or not he lost his army. Diva normally would have not been trifled by such trivial matters but now, it was bothering her and she was getting pissed beyond the minute. She had forgotten that she kept on using the unevolved form of her counter when she should. It should've been good enough to take out Aizen's defense. "First Counter, Gin'nei Ken." (Phantom Sword)

Her sword was flying a lot faster and more accurately; Aizen had a harder time than Halibel in terms of dodging it. Diva never knew that someone would actually push her to use all five counters. She had five more, evolved only one of them and even combined her third and first counter; this was so annoying. She wished that she could just trash Aizen, go home, do some paperwork and maybe make Jin run laps. Aizen smirked. "You seem to be a little distracted, Diva-hime," he added with a mocking tone.

Diva dodged the shot that Aizen had aiming for her which took out a partial part of her hair. Diva didn't like being called hime, especially when she had nothing to rule over. "I'm not a princess, that's a load of junk. I'm Fukurou Diva, sister of Fukurou Hisoka of the Tenth Division and third seat under the leadership of Hitsugaya Toushiro. That's all there is to it, Aizen Sosuke."

The brown haired former captain was astounded when Diva attacked with renewed strength and before their fight could continue, something began erupting. No one knew what that was but heck, there was something wrong. Diva felt the tremors and she knew that there was something there that she didn't want to do. "It… no…"

Something tore open the realm and there was a bright light emitting from the hole. Everyone was blinded all except Tousen since he was already blind and someone started stepping out. He was a man in his forties; walking out with pride, he gave a glance to the battlefield. "How long will you shield your eyes from my glory?"

Diva gaped; this was not happening. Most of all, why was he here? "That can't be right…"

"Aizen," –his voice thundered, "I told you to annihilate them and here you are toying with… oh…"

He saw Diva who's silver eyes seemed to be more deadly than they ever were. "Hello, Diva."

Her expression became bitter while her fists curled up and her knuckles became visibly white. "Hello," –the greeting seethed through her teeth while a tone of bitterness ate through her looks, "uncle."

His smile seemed to falter when he saw her. "I don't remember assigning you to a squad."

Diva's poke face didn't change. "That's because you cast me out and left me to die."

Everyone of the captains were shocked; their own king had been conspirating against them and Aizen was just a pawn. They never knew that their king would try to get them killed or even fight against them. This was all just wrong. Yamamoto didn't know what to say either except Diva had another plan of her own. "You've been trying to find out what that place. You need it to become king because none of the zanpakuto would listen to you. You killed my brother for that reason!?"

Diva began glowing with a white rainbow aura and all the captains felt that their reiatsu was nothing compared to hers. Yamamoto had to soften the impact that her reiatsu was making because this alone could paralyze all their forces. "I didn't kill your brother," her uncle firmly said, "well – more like I didn't deal the blow. It was just a factor that I forgot to consider."

Diva lunged at him. "That makes no difference!"

Her sword hummed in the air and every strike she made, he seemed to have blocked it and easily put her down. Diva was flung back easily and Hitsugaya managed to catch her. Her uncle seemed to have the answer for it all. "I was the one who manipulated these events around you. Your brother was a fucking bastard I wanted out of the way! He was always "little sister this", "little sister that"! Always about you, you were the tensai of the family and it made me sick," –walking towards Aizen, he pointed at her, "I didn't exactly kill your brother, I had Aizen plan that for me. Funny, I just realized now that he didn't die from suicide now did he? As I was saying, I wanted the hell zanpakuto – funny, I managed to manipulate Byakuya-kun into killing the girl's father for me. The man who wielded Fukitsu Kage in the past, Shougetsu Sora; I drove him insane quite easily and also, dear little Shana. I remember that her mother and father were placed in the front lines because I wanted them there. So – I could easily snatch Shinijikumaru from her! Jin was rather hard to grab since his parents were both Arrancars that I created and Reika as well, her parents were turned into Arrancars before they even had her!"

That was the explanation for everything; Diva saw now that everything fit. Miko's bloodied past, Jin's unusual reiatsu reading, Reika's bestial morphing, Shana's unstableness and most of all, the murder of her brother. She now knew that the killer wasn't Aizen but her own uncle. He had manipulated them all this time. "I shoved you off the throne for that reason alone," –he sneered, "I knew you five would meet and kill me."

Soi Fon clucked her tongue in disgust. "So, you cast Diva-sama out of the dimensions in order to relieve yourself of the threat. You purposely left her to die in Rukongai because of that. Luckily – the girl managed to survive on her own without any help at all. What kind of man throws his niece into a pack of wolves? Let alone from the Royal Family!?"

"Actually, I did get help," Diva admitted meekly.

They all looked at her with a look. "I survived because of a woman. She gave me the strength to stand up again. She was known as," her smile faded while everyone's face turned into a shocked one, "Flash Goddess Shihoin Yoruichi."

They all gaped at her when Diva gave a little smirk. "Let's finish him off first. I'd rather not keep him waiting."

-That's Chapter 11! Please review as soon as you can!


	12. The Princess and the Ice Dragon

(I don't own Bleach!)

Chapter 12 – The Princess and the Ice Dragon

Diva rushed towards her uncle who seemed more than just happy to see her. Happy to see her be killed that is; all because she was a threat to he and he wanted her dead. He already had her brother killed but she was one more obstacle. In Soul Society, they still believed in meritocracy and because Diva was the daughter of his brother and sibling of his nephew, she was supposed to take control of Soul Society. But, he wanted Soul Society for himself and he wanted to make sure that there was nothing standing in the way of his throne. He had already taken control of Aizen and he planned to make his plans a spring board for his. Surely – there was no way he was going to give all his hard worked power to Aizen.

Putting out his fingers, he sneered. "Adios, my dear princesa," –he sarcastically emphasized on the "dear", "Diva."

The silver haired girl dodged the white lightning bolt that was aimed at her and when her sword clashed, she was blocked by some unknown barrier that not even she could understand why it wouldn't cut. However, a gold flash appeared and it began sawing its way through like a chainsaw. She looked up and there she saw a smirking Jin. "Hey, need help?"

Diva however instead of being happy, her face became mournful and bitter. She looked away. "Kanagura, this battle doesn't concern you."

The brunette noticed a sudden shift in her expression. "Huh?"

Without any hesitation, Diva kicked Jin across and sent him flying. The brunette was caught by Reika and Diva continued fighting. The barrier however proved to be too strong for her to even crack. He smirked. "One rule you should always remember, brat: Never let your guard down!"

Diva feinted to the left and managed to crack some part of the force field. However, once again, she was caught off guard when she saw Shinsou zip past her cutting her face a little bit. However, she revealed one of her counters to flick away his sword. "Second Counter, Bara Otoshi."

Shinsou went awry and the Shinigami didn't need to move to avoid it. Now, Diva's true skills came to light; she began creating after images of herself one after the other. Her uncle didn't seem distressed either; in fact, he was smirking at what she was doing. "You only used this now? Yes – I do happen to remember that this technique has a limit."

Diva smirked. "My third counter maybe limited; not my first counter however… First Counter, Gin'nei Ken."

Her sword movements were very fluid, smooth and most of all, it made most quick draw users look like snails. Her speed was impeccable and almost comparable to Yoruichi Shihoin's but like her uncle mentioned, her body had a limit to how many times she could do the third counter: the Gin'nei po. He smirked. "Hadou number seventy five, binding technique."

Diva felt her body freeze and she fell on the floor. "Buchou," her teammates yelled out.

The silver haired Shinigami struggled to break it but it was no use; the bind was pretty strong. Reika, the tensai of the Execution Squad hollered an order. "Guys, let's dish out some pain!"

The other three didn't seem to reject the idea however, they were blocked by several swords and their bodies dropped to the ground paralysed. Reika struggled to move. "What the--? I was moving fine awhile ago! Why can't I move…?"

She found Sougyo no Kotowari blocking her and a very firm Ukitake Juushiro. "Fuku-taichou, don't get involved. You could get killed."

Reika's head snapped up in defiance. "Forget it! She risked her life for us – I think it's time I did too!"

The tensai revealed her arrancar abilities when she started struggling against Yamamoto's reiatsu that had paralysed them. Her face became more bestial when her eyes began to become more ebony coloured and her red hair cascaded past her shoulders. Her hands became more claw-like and all the captains could only stare at the monstrosity she was becoming however, she was easily restrained by Yamamoto once again. Her power levels dropped and she returned back to normal. Miko couldn't budge because Byakuya kept his eye on her and Shana and Jin were in no mood to be held down either. Shana started glowing with a dark pink aura while Jin started radiating a gold aura. "Ouji-sama would really want to kick your ass now."

Shana's Quincy abilities revealed themselves and the seal began cracking once more. "Ikiwatare, Shinijikumaru! Razor Beam!"

From her bow and arrow, a huge pink arrow began to appear which was bigger than the normal Razor Beam and instead of being in shape of a saw; it became more of a huge ball. Pushing her reiryouku into her legs, she vanished and came closer to the man. Her eyes beadily focused on him when her fangs began to appear because of Shinijikumaru. "Razor Dunk!"

This technique was made for close range and she was going to get this shot. Letting go of the string, the shot burst through the sound barrier and when it hit the shield, it wasn't even good enough to make a small dent. In fact, it bounced back at her and Jin cut through the shot with his own move. "Crescent Volley!"

A huge crescent moon wave appeared and began clashing with the barrier. The man wasn't wasting any energy and yet, his power was beyond the princess' and her cohorts. The man snickered. "Is this all you have to offer me? You little wretched rats – I knew that you all wouldn't be a threat to me," –waving his hand once, he summoned a huge gust of wind which tore through their defences quite easily. Diva was thrown back almost immediately followed by Jin and Shana.

Miko glanced at her taichou with a pleading look. "Can't we help them?"

Byakuya gave her a stern and cold look. "We can't. It's against the law."

Miko shivered when she saw her teammates thrown off guard like a bunch of insects. The man laughed. "You are nothing compared to your brother, dear girl. Your brother – at least put up a little resistance when going against me but you," –sniggering at her, "just proved how worthless and how weak you are. Aizen," motioning with his head while he walked away, "kill her. I might as well find the Waterfall of Spirits and extract it myself!"

Aizen seemed more than happy to do the job. He flash stepped right in front of a defenceless Diva, Shana and Jin with his sword raised up high. "What an honour it is, killing the princess, the path bearer and her cherubim all in one day. Quite a rewarding day now, isn't it?"

Diva moved instantly to grab her sword but Shinsou came flying out of nowhere and it pinned her hand right through. Wincing at the pain, she only managed to stare at Aizen while he smirked. "No way out now, princess."

Diva couldn't pull the blade out of her hand and when the sword came down, she felt nothing hit her but she heard a loud clank and grinding noise. Looking up, she saw Hitsugaya parry the attack. "There is a loophole to this fight and it's the fact that we can still fight Aizen but we can never raise our sword against the king."

Diva shivered at the cold temperature Hyourinmaru began to emit when Matsumoto kicked Shinsou away and pulled Diva out of the way. Miko didn't hesitate anymore; running past Byakuya Kuchiki, she swung her staff but Tousen nailed her staff to the ground with his sword. "Do you plan to obstruct Aizen-sama's plans as well? It would have been wiser for you to stay back with your captain and not fight."

However, he was quickly cut off when Kenpachi came raining in. Well, he busts up every fight when he has the time so, this one was okay. Miko ran towards her buchou in concern and breaking into "mother" mode. "Buchou, are you okay? Did it penetrate through the bone? Do you want to sit this one out? We can handle all the rest!"

Diva put her finger up to silence her from ranting on. "It's alright. I'm fine. There's nothing you need to worry about."

The blonde grabbed Diva's hand and began examining it. "Buchou, it's bleeding like a river! Let me get Unohana-taichou to help you…!"

In response to Miko's ranting, Diva flicked her forehead. "Enough," her tone was firm and subtle.

The blonde helped Diva up while a deep and old voice called her. "Diva-sama."

Looking at the supreme commander, Diva was given a look that said. "We cannot defy the king no matter how much we want to do so but, we can at least protect you from his attacks."

The silver haired princess bowed. "I'm sorry for troubling you all. I hope I can atone for my mistake," –raising her sword, "Execution Squad, take out every hollow nearby! Make sure they don't come in contact with any of the pillars!"

The Execution Squad was happy to comply. "Our pleasure."

Byakuya looked at Renji. "Let's go. One more thing…"

Renji gave him a quizzical look. "What?"

The stoic looking captain stated simply. "I blame you if Miko ends up hurt."

"What!?"

Byakuya vanished along with Renji when they started taking out the hollows. Now with all the captains in position which included Shuusuke Amagai, they managed to increase their chances of winning to thirty percent. Hollows fell one after the other, with Ichigo's help, the battle against Aizen's other wave was a success but they hoped that he wouldn't launch another wave against them. "Everyone alright?"

They looked at each other and they all nodded. Soi Fon ordered. "Everyone, search the area! Find any prisoners and take them into custody!"

There was one arrancar they found who seemed very harmless; it was Neliel. She had been clinging on to Ichigo ever since he got back to Karakura. She looked at a very pissed off Soi Fon who was twitching. "Dear kami-sama, what is this thing clinging on to your leg, Ryoka!?"

Ichigo looked at Neliel. "She's harmless; believe me, the only time she gets harmful is when someone hits her with a really strong cero. Other than that, she's completely harmless. Right, Neliel?"

The green haired arrancar nodded. "Yeah!"

Soi Fon growled. "Get that thing out of here!"

Neliel didn't like the tone in Soi Fon's voice. She trembled and hid behind Ichigo. "Help," her lips quivered when Soi Fon glowered at her.

Ichigo shielded her from Soi Fon. "Hey, she's not going to eat anyone. I've seen her in full form, don't worry. She doesn't eat souls; if she did, I would be dead by now or you guys would be trying to kill her by now."

He did have a point; Neliel at this point was very harmless and wouldn't do anything to hurt them anyway. Diva squat down in front of Neliel. "Hey," –she said kindly, "do you remember anything when you stayed with Aizen?"

Neliel shook her head sadly. "Sorry hime-nee-sama, I don't remember much."

Diva nodded. "It's alright. I don't expect you to remember everything on first contact. Just take your time, okay?"

Without any doubt and hesitation, Neliel smiled at her while launching herself at her. "Mommy!"

She wrapped her arms around Diva and snuggled like a baby. The silver haired Shinigami was shocked and they, the captains were also horrified by Neliel's sudden impulsive action. Shana didn't like that; she ran over to Neliel and began yanking her off. "Stay away…!"

Neliel whined. "No!"

Miko sighed. "This is what happens when someone tries to steal our buchou. Shana gets angry and they get into a cat fight," –then her blue eyes revealed a mischievous glint, "I hate to imagine what happens when buchou gets a boyfriend."

Diva twitched. "Miko," ready to give the blonde fifty laps around Soul Society.

All the captains looked around and there were no more hollows luckily. However, they wished that this war would end soon because they knew that Soul Society won't be able to stand another attack. Yamamoto let out a sigh of relief. "Alright, all captains will return to their posts. Until then – you are not to do anything unless I order you to do so. Anybody who defies my orders will be trialled for treason. Any questions?"

Everyone knew what was good for them and shook their heads. Yamamoto told Soi Fon something and she said. "Alright, dark corps members, disassemble all the columns now! We'll be heading back to Soul Society now."

They nodded wordlessly and went off to take down the towers. Soi Fon looked at her. "Diva-sama, if I may be so bold to ask, what is the Waterfall of Spirits? Where is it located? How do we unlock the place?"

Diva looked at them warily. "Do you guys really want to know? But honestly, I don't know. The best place to look is in the Royal Library. I can lend you my crest to unlock the place. There's the place in the Royal Library where only those who are Royal Family but as long as you have my crest, they'll allow you to look at the archives. Just don't keep doing that though – my uncle will get suspicious."

Yamamoto turned to Kurotsuchi. "I will leave the data gathering to you?"

Diva removed her crest. "Here, this crest has no meaning to me anymore. But at least – it will help you gather more information. This is the best I can do though. Also, when you find out more of the Waterfall of Spirits, please let me know as well. I would like to look for something in the waterfall as well. All I know is that this place is the source of all zanpakuto. When that place is captured, the king can summon any zanpakuto. My father discovered that place and sealed it away. I now know why…"

Miko looked at Byakuya. "What do we do now, Kuchiki-sama?"

"We head back," Byakuya had a note of finality in his voice, "until then, I don't want any stupid escapades coming from you."

The blonde sweat dropped while smiling sheepishly. "Of c-c-course, Kuchiki-sama, I won't do something like that."

He had a small smile when he saw her fidgeting a little bit. In his eyes, she looked so innocent that it brought out this part of him that he thought he never had. He gently put his hand on her head. "Let's go, Shougetsu."

"Ah," she nodded stiffly, "hai."

Shana was having her wounds tended to by Isane and Jin was getting a scolding and at the same time, a congratulations from Kenpachi for trying to take down someone stronger than him even if he did fail. Reika was being scolded by Ukitake for her rash actions and that it would have gotten them killed if she was even more reckless. "Reika," –he sighed exasperatedly, "I just hope you won't do this again…"

Reika looked like she was about to explode. "But, Ukitake-taichou, I can't just sit back and watch my buchou getting her ass kicked! I had to do something – she risked everything to make us strong and we're prepared for this! I don't care if I come home missing a limb but as long as I do my duty as the fuku-buchou of the Execution Squad, I will live with no regrets! Why do you always stop me!?"

"Because I don't want you to end up like Kaien," sourly thought Ukitake but then replied firmly, "it was dangerous and at the same time, your loyalty is also supposed to be towards the king himself. You're not supposed to raise your blade against him, no matter what the cost."

Reika was silenced by Ukitake's firm reply and only mumbled. "Yes, taichou…"

Ukitake hated breaking Reika's pride but he had no other choice. She was quite headstrong and very stubborn to the point that no one could tell her what to do. She always set her mind on one thing and pursued it relentlessly, no matter what. Ukitake knew that her rash actions might one day kill her which is why he was always there to make sure he could suppress her brashness.

"_Are you sure it's just because of that?" _purred one of the Sougyo no Kotowari pair.

Ukitake sighed. "Not you too."

"_Honestly Juushiro, Reika-chan is a girl with good intentions and you constantly watch over the girl. I don't think she's just a little girl to you anymore. She's a fine young lady after all isn't she, Juushiro?"_

The thirteenth squad captain shook the thoughts out of his mind. "That's enough Sougyo, we're heading home."

Diva got up and Hitsugaya looked at her hand. "Diva, your hand, it's still gushing."

She took a look at it and smiled weakly. "Its okay, Hitsugaya-taichou. It's no big deal."

Then, she saw him take out his sash and wrapped her hand with it. Diva felt blood creeping up her cheeks when she saw him doing it. Hitsugaya looked at her and then, he himself began blushing. "Diva, let's just go home."

"Yeah," she said weakly while they head back.

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Upon reaching Soul Society, the captains begin to sort out the paperwork that they needed to do. Matsumoto as always was complaining on how much paperwork there was to do while Hitsugaya just gave up on the fact that she won't do it unless there's very little left. Diva did her portion of the paperwork; often ended up doing Matsumoto's portion as well. "Matsumoto-fuku-taichou, you need to sign…"

The strawberry blonde upon seeing all the papers, her eyes widened. "Nooooo! I don't want to sign that!"

The paper stack was as thick as five trigonometry books and Matsumoto slumped on to the floor. "Please… anything but paperwork."

Diva smiled ruefully out of pity for the lieutenant. "I'm sorry, Matsumoto-san. But, that's the thing a fuku-taichou has to do."

Matsumoto begrudgingly took the papers and took out a brush. "Aww man, this sucks. Something has to attack any time now."

Hitsugaya eyed her warily. "Are you saying you want to go through another war?"

Matsumoto shook her head. "Of course not, taichou, I just want something to stop the paper work."

"Actually," Hitsugaya noted, "we're doing it a lot faster now. Normally, it would take us days before we finish all this. Luckily, Diva's been helping us with the paper work and she's actually doing triple her work load. Matsumoto, just do some of it so you can go have your sake break."

The moment the word "sake" left Hitsugaya's lips, she quickly grabbed a pile and began writing frantically. This was something she only did when Hitsugaya allowed her to go on sake break. "Thank you," –she exclaimed, "I'm so happy you stopped being a slave driver!"

Hitsugaya smirked while he continued to work. He had a few occasional glances at Diva who was completely oblivious to what he was doing. She was working and she was very engrossed in it to the point she didn't hear much. Hitsugaya's lips formed a small smile; she was a sight to behold especially when the moonlight reflected off her long silky silver hair. "Taichou – you're staring at me," Diva pointed out, "is there something wrong?"

"Nothing," Hitsugaya quickly replied, "I was just thinking."

When she walked past him, he saw a clip in her hair which had a frosted blue rose. He couldn't stop staring at her and even began making his writing ugly because of what he was doing. Matsumoto noticed that Hitsugaya's eyes had also a different look to them. Instead of his usual scowling face, he had a gentler look; a smile perhaps even formed at his lips. She even noticed that his cheeks flared into twenty shades of red once in awhile most especially, when the princess' silver eyes would focus on him.

Matsumoto wasn't too surprised; she was a pretty girl but she was more surprised by her taichou who seemed to be there whenever she needed help. He would try to talk to her but his mouth ran dry. This was just too cute to be true for Matsumoto. Moving slowly towards her captain, she nudged him. "You like her, taichou. Aww, you're so cute!"

Hitsugaya's emerald pools flashed at Matsumoto. "Shut up."

"But taichou," –whined the strawberry blonde haired lieutenant, "look how adorable you are!"

Hitsugaya resisted the urge to pile all the paper work on her and retract the sake break statement. "Matsumoto, just continue working or I will have this paper work piled on you and I will retract your sake break!"

Her face paled in horror. "Nooooo! Okay, I'll work now!"

Matsumoto ran off while Diva looked at her captain. "Taichou, is there something wrong? Matsumoto looked like she saw a ghost."

Hitsugaya sniggered. "It's nothing, Diva-ch –I mean, Fukurou," –his face blushing in thirty shades of red, "just get back to work. There's nothing you need to worry about."

Diva nodded and continued transferring papers like always while he simply watched her. He was done with his batch; he just pretended to write so he could watch her longer. Then, he remembered something: the meeting concerning the Waterfall of Spirits was that afternoon. Standing up, he told Matsumoto. "You'll have to finish up, Matsumoto. Fukurou, I need you to come with me to the meeting. After all – you're the princess and you have the right to know what's going on."

Matsumoto's blue eyes glinted mischievously. "Or maybe it's because you want to drag her on a date, taichou…"

Hitsugaya's face turned red instantly. "Ma-tsu-mo-to!"

She giggled childishly and Hitsugaya just spun around scowling. "Fukurou, let's go."

Diva nodded. "Hai."

Slamming the door behind them, Hitsugaya only then began to realize how bad his sense of time was. The meeting was tonight and here they were, outside and barely even near evening. He looked at Diva who was walking a little farther than him. "Taichou, are you alright? You've been spacing out often and I often have to snap you out of it. Is there something wrong?"

Hitsugaya suddenly had an idea and flashed out a small smile. "Nothing. Nothing at all."

-That's chapter 12! Sorry it's kinda short.


	13. An Innocuous Cat the Weeping Willow

(I don't own Bleach!)

Chapter 13 – An Innocuous Cat; the Weeping Willow

Byakuya quietly sat at home while Miko attended to her usual jobs as a maid of the Kuchiki house. He was by his window watching the girl sweep the leaves in the garden and she was already breath-taking as is. Her long wavy blonde hair cascaded past her shoulders while her blue eyes reflected the innocence she embodied in her despite her vicious zanpakuto. She was such a sweet and loving girl leaving Byakuya to wonder, what kind of atrocious action made her deserve such a bloodied past?

What trifled him more was that the king had planned the death of Shougetsu Sora. He not only had Miko's mother killed but the daughter was nearly a victim of murder. Byakuya had a bitter smile form at his face while he saw a black cat also picking up leaves and fallen flowers with Miko. He had seen that cat before and it was very affectionate but very irritating. What was that term Rukia learned from Ichigo? Ah yes, that cat was a pain in the ass. He had seen that cat several times and whenever he would come near Miko, it would claw at his leg and he would tell Miko to throw it out of the house or discipline it.

But, he only realized now that the cat who constantly became her companion was her vicious hollow eating zanpakuto, Fukitsu Kage.

He watched her silently train with the broom stick; swinging impulsively as if it was a staff. The little cat followed her around like a tail and purred affectionately whenever Miko gave it a pat on the head. Byakuya felt this weird feeling at the back of his head because he was now subconsciously creating plans of murder for that cat.

"_Thou are jealous, Byakuya-kun?" _Senbonzakura purred sweetly.

"Am not," Byakuya responded as stoically as possible; he didn't want to break Senbonzakura in two, he just wished that she would stop teasing him about the matter between him and Miko. The young blonde seemed so oblivious to everything that it made her so adorable and it also aroused his desire to keep her near him. He had never felt this way ever since Hisana. Walking towards his wife's grave, Byakuya stared at it for awhile. He was at a loss on what to do because this little servant girl was making a big effect on him. "Hisana…"

He remembered that she was with him when he first found the bloodied Miko. The little girl was surrounded by the dead bodies of her parents and blood coated the wall. Her blonde hair had a blood red colour at the base of her hair with her pale and shocked face spluttered with blood. Her blue eyes shone with innocence when he had struck her father down. Hisana was the one who even discovered Miko who was at a little corner of her room and even scolded Byakuya for scaring her. It was even on the Cherry Blossom Viewing Festival that they found her.

_(Flashback)_

"_Ne, Byakuya-kun?" asked a young woman walking alongside the tall noble._

_He looked at her and she smiled. "Have you ever been over the walls of Seireitei before?"_

_Looking down, Byakuya admitted meekly. "No actually, I haven't."_

_The woman, silently thinking for a moment suddenly grabbed his hand. "Then, it's settled then!"_

"_?" Byakuya had absolutely no idea where this was going._

"_We're going," –pointing outside, the young woman smiled, "over the wall!"  
_

_Byakuya's face was aghast. "Hisana, have you lost your mind?"_

"_Byakuya my dear," – she said waving her finger in front of him, "I think you're the one who's lost it! You're such a pampered boy that you haven't seen anything out here! I bet you that you don't even know what a waterfall looks like except the one in pictures!"_

_A chuckle bubbled at his throat. "I guess. Lead the way, Hisana."_

_The young woman dragged Byakuya to the Rukon District and there, he began learning something new. He saw the people who lived in the outskirts of Seireitei. They were kind people and they were shocked that Hisana would return. She was kindly saying hi and also telling them that Byakuya doesn't bite which caused him to twitch at what she was telling them. Later, they heard a loud cry that came from another house._

_Hisana dragged Byakuya. "It might be a hollow! Come on!"_

_Byakuya had no time to protest because she was already dragging him there and they heard loud bangs and smashes. When they got to the house, there was blood everywhere and a maniacal laugh soon followed. There stood a very familiar captain that his grandfather had been talking about, Shougetsu Sora. In his hand was a black staff enamelled with gold; he showed no signs of violence until well, he started swinging his staff with full force and started attacking a woman. Hisana and Byakuya at that time were Shinigami and they weren't sure whether or not they should apprehend him or not. But this man was insane; they had to deal with him sooner or later._

"_Shougetsu Sora, you are hereby under arrest for the murder of Shougetsu Keiko," Byakuya coldly stated without any hesitation._

_The man glared at him angrily. "Oh really? See if you can keep up, brat!"_

_The insult made Byakuya twitch ever so slightly when Hisana drew her zanpakuto as well. "Purify, Mizukakushi." (Disappearing Water)_

"_Scatter, Senbonzakura," Byakuya drew out his zanpakuto which slowly eviscerated into many small blades._

_The captain however drew out his staff. "Bankai!"_

_The whole house was engulfed by a huge black shadow and a howling of a minx cat was heard. Unlike a normal minx cat or cat in that matter, this one had thirteen tails with yellowish eyes that could strike fear into the hearts of many people. The souls from outside saw what was going on and when they got to the house, the black cat began tearing up everything and the claws made heavy impressions on the ground. People ran in all sorts of directions and the cat sniggered with insanity as well and this drew the attention of the captains that were strolling nearby. Shougetsu Sora was getting the upper hand over the two Shinigami while his daughter withdrew and hid in the corner of the house._

_Byakuya however had told Hisana to hold back due to the fact that he was concerned for her safety as well. He clashed swords with Shougetsu Sora and his training with his grandfather didn't seem to go to waste. His sword strikes were fluid and smooth and he made sure that he made no mistake and after that, there was a crushing silence. The cat wailed while the man had thrown himself forward and found himself impaled on Senbonzakura. Blood gurgled at his throat while he pulled himself closer with his teeth now soaked in blood. "Not bad, brat."_

_Byakuya didn't seem fazed by the man's insult. "Suit yourself."_

_The man was flung off while his body slammed limply against the wall. Hisana gulped. "Geez, Byakuya-kun, you sure know how to throw people around. Ever tried qualifying as a judo practitioner?"_

"_Hisana," Byakuya couldn't help but glare while his voice was getting all deadly and venomous._

"_Just kidding," she said with a smile, "really, you take things too seriously."  
_

_Byakuya's glare melted into a smile once again when he saw her suddenly look at the corner. Two bright blue orbs stared at them for a moment and it was a little girl, quivering in fear of Byakuya and her own father. Hisana walked over to the terrified girl. "Hello, are you okay?"_

_The girl stared at her for a moment and then smiled a big grin."Hai, hai, genki desu~, onee-sama!"_

_Hisana was shocked by her sudden cheerful outburst despite the bloody scene. "Are you sure? What's your name?"_

"_Um," the girl fidgeted at this question because she wasn't sure what to say, "I… I…"  
_

_Apparently, the girl had forgotten her name during the ordeal and Hisana thought for awhile while a deep voice gave her name. "Miko…"_

_The girl looked up and saw Byakuya towering over her. "Shougetsu Miko. It's written on the wall."_

_(End of Flashback)_

Byakuya smiled at the little girl he saw now. She had grown into an elegant young Shinigami that was capable of handling herself sometimes. She may be a klutz at other things but she always exerted her best. Unlike most girls were their kindness was cloying and irritating, Miko was very sincere with everything she did especially when she made a mistake. She would try her best to amend it as soon as possible.

He remembered all the times that he had given her the cold shoulder and now he was beginning to regret all those times that he did. She never did anything wrong to deserve that kind of treatment and soon, even the other Kuchiki clan members began treating her in that very same way. She was often spurned and even feared due to her reiatsu and she was such an innocent little girl. Byakuya shook his head trying to push away whatever thoughts he had and slowly, the only thing he began seeing was her.

00000000000000000000000000000000000000000

Ukitake was taking his medicine while doing his paper work. He never knew that his Tuberculosis would somehow calm down in the midst of battle so, he tried a little experiment. If he went to battle without his usual team members he would start coughing however, when Reika appeared around him she just made things ten times easier than it should've been. When he would get stressed and she was around, her reiatsu somehow nullified the effect. Just what exactly was Reika's power? The fact that she turned beastly upon releasing zanpakuto was very unordinary since Shinigami were not supposed to change form at all. Reika's hair became crimson red and her green eyes then became jet black not only that, veins would reveal at her temples and she would form fangs.

"_She's quite the wildcard," _drawled one of the Sougyo swords _"isn't she, Juushiro-kun?"_

The white haired captain didn't know what to say. "True. Her abilities are so different. But the question is: Why did the king conspirate against her? She never did anything wrong and what did her parents do? It's couldn't be so bad to the point they hollowified. But, why did the king go through all this trouble? I mean – I understand the parts of not being the true king so he can't exactly be kami-sama now can he?"

"_Truthfully speaking," _–Sougyo no Kotowari quietly added, _"There was a jealous outbreak within the Royal Family. The funny thing is – the elite guards of the king or rather, Diva's father were all very similar to the execution squad."_

Ukitake's eyes widened. "Do you mean?"

"_Kanagura Genichirou, Shukaki Otome, Yuchizawa Keigo and finally, Hoshikaze Yuushi," _Sougyo no Kotowari enumerated, _"they were the top four guards of the royal family or rather what we know as Division Zero. The leader of the elite force was none other than the king himself, Fukurou Ren. Before the Zero Division was created, the man was also the Supreme Commander at his time while Kanagura headed Squad Eleven, Hoshikaze at Squad Four, Shukaki at Squad Six and Yuchizawa at Squad Eleven. These four are the ancestors of the four who served in the Execution Squad… Reika is actually in your generation gap despite the very big age difference between you both, Juushiro. Miko also may not look it but she is quite near Byakuya's age as well and also – Shana-chan is very young like maybe five thousand or more years younger than you. Diva is more in Hitsugaya's age gap."_

Ukitake was perplexed. "Wait, are you saying Shukaki Otome is…?"

"_Miko's great grandmother," _–Sougyo no Kotowari's tone became serious, _"despite the fact that they are young, Juushiro, they are the key to end this war. They're the only ones that can claim back what belongs to Soul Society and make it rise again. They are the ones to make Aizen fall. You should at least try to train Reika to become a better Shinigami who can fight at captain's level, Juushiro. She may be exceptional in combat but she can handle the pressure of facing someone stronger than her?" _

Ukitake kept quiet while his zanpakuto continued. _"That's the edge the princess has over all of them: experience. She's experienced true despair; the despair that ate through you when you were completely helpless. She's seen that and gone through that due to the death of her brother. By the way – what about the meeting? Aren't you going to go and get some info?"_

Ukitake sighed. "It's tomorrow night and yeah, I'll be rummaging through some papers I guess."

"Kyaaaaaaah, taichouuuuu, Sentaro's being mean again!"

"Shut up you loud mouth! I wasn't doing anything!"

Ukitake could've sworn that the voices belonged to his two third seats. They were arguing like always and it was hard to tell but ever since they wanted the lieutenant's position, they've been trying to outdo each other and when Reika to the position, they've become more childish. Ukitake remembered that Reika managed to silence them because of her reiatsu but where was she?

"WILL YOU GUYS SHUT UP!? I'M TRYING TO DO PAPER WORK HERE AND YOU GUYS ARE SCREAMING LIKE A BUNCH OF MORONS! UNLESS YOU GUYS WANT TO DIE, I SUGGEST YOU SHUT UP!"

After that, there was a deadly silence and Ukitake couldn't help but smile at Reika's ability to restore silence into the ranks. "She's got charisma."

"_Charisma or the ability to threaten people? It's two different things, Juushiro."  
_

Then again, Ukitake remembered that a lot of people were scared of her. Her reiatsu was good enough to send people running for the hills and maybe even knock out a few birds. He remembered the time when she first came here, no one wanted even to get close to her because of her reiatsu and her ability. Though her reiatsu was normal for a lieutenant, the aura and emotion it emitted was that of a Vastrolorde. There actually might be some truth to her parents being Arrancars before they had her. Question is: why was she born as a Shinigami and not a hollow?

"_Her parents were visored," _Sougyo no Kotowari stated the obvious; _"hollows can't reproduce. You of all people should know that."  
_

"That's the only explanation for it but why does she go beastly then? Even vizards don't have veins bulging at their temples," Ukitake countered, "even so, their eyes only change colour when a mask appears but she doesn't even have a mask."

"_Hm, good point," _­thinking quietly, Sougyo no Kotowari moved aside, _"but Juushiro, I suggest you find her a vizard trainer."_

"You mean like Shinji?"

"_Yes, because somehow, I can feel her humanity slipping away from her. It's as if, all her life she's been fighting her inner hollow and never gained control of it. Perhaps even Kurosaki can dish out a thing or two to teach her how to use her visored abilities," _Sougyo no Kotowari added.

Ukitake stood up and picked up his sword. "I'm going to ask Reika if she can give me a work out. It's been awhile since I got some action anyway."

"_Don't over exert, Juushiro, remember," _–his zanpakuto warned.

The white haired captain stepped outside where he saw Reika stacking up papers with a cheerful smile. "Done! I'm so happy! Now I can go loaf off or something or maybe even get a pixie stick while I'm at it."

"Reika-chan," Ukitake's voice was soft.

"Eh? Yes, taichou? Is there anything you need?" Reika spun around while saluting him.

Ukitake let out a sigh. "I was wondering if – you could train with me for today."

Reika was quite shocked by Ukitake's request. "Eh, are you sure? We just came from war and now you want to stress yourself again?"

Ukitake smiled at her concern. "It's okay, I'll be fine."

"Says the crazy fool who has Tuberculosis and plans to live past a thousand," Reika shot back.

Reika was very strong willed and she didn't care what people thought of her opinion. She always expressed concern towards her friends and killed anybody who planned to hurt them. Ukitake smiled at her calmly. "I'll be fine, Yuchizawa-san. Just give me a little work out for today."

That smile almost made Reika melt immediately. "Ah, um… sure, taichou." However at the back of her head, she was wondering. "What the hell is wrong with me? I've never blushed like this. I can feel all the blood creeping up my head and filling out my cheeks – what's wrong with me?"

Reika and Ukitake went outside to an open ground in the Thirteenth Division. Reika drew out her zanpakuto. "I won't hold back, taichou."

"I wasn't expecting you to," Ukitake drew out Sougyo no Kotowari, "wave become my shield, lightning become my blade, Sougyo no Kotowari."

Reika's katana began to change shape. "Kuronuri no enkai ni kihake, Shukketsu Boumei-sha!"

The scythe and twin swords clashed with each other. Reiatsu sprayed all over the place while the two seemed matched in power. Little did Reika know however that Ukitake was barely at half his power and wasn't even on his best days. He parried all her shots as if they were nothing and while she used her Bakudo techniques, he simply used Hadou to send them away. "Hadou Sixty Five, Six Swords of Heaven."

White swords appeared and caged Reika. The lieutenant tried breaking it but to no avail and she had a major flashback. She remembered that she herself was in a cage before; she was shackled to the ground with her tangerine hair growing endlessly while her skin was purplish blue with bruises.

It was cold, dark and clammy.

No way in for sunlight.

No way out for freedom.

No way in for compassion.

And no way out for hatred.

The feeling of being caged suddenly returned to Reika and she hated being in a cage and because of this, she was considered and monster. Because of her hatred of being in a cage, Reika went wild; without any suppression, her face began to distort and her eyes changed colour and so did her hair. However, unlike the last time, her fangs made an appearance with claws, muscles began bulging and her body began to distort and look more horrific than usual. She began growling like a monster and she dropped her scythe trying to force back her powers. "No, stop! This has to stop. Please, I don't want to become a hollow! Nooooo!"

Without any hesitation, Ukitake dropped his zanpakuto and quickly suppressed her reiatsu before she got anymore powerful. She returned to her normal state but this time instead of crying normal tears, from her eyes were tears of blood. Ukitake was shocked and perplexed at the same time, it was very abnormal to have someone crying tears of blood. "Reika, it's okay. You're fine now. Nothing's going to happen to you."

Reika's remained muffled by a quiet sob. "I'm sorry, Ukitake-taichou."

Ukitake knew that it would take him awhile to try and understand the nature of her zanpakuto. All that hatred manifested into this very vicious zanpakuto and he himself didn't understand the reason why Reika was like this. What exactly happened to her back then? He made a mental note to ask Sougyo no Kotowari later about what happened later and also to remind him to read her resume again.

-That's chapter 13! Please review!


	14. Path Bearer and Cherubim

(I don't own Bleach!)

Chapter 14 – Path bearer and Cherubim

Kanagura Jin was just finishing up the paper work of Squad Eleven. He was also the type not to like it either but considering they had Yachiru as a lieutenant well, he was the one who ended up doing all the work. Putting his feet on the table after placing the last paper, Jin managed to kick back and relax while eating his Meiji chocolate bar that Seireitei bazaar happened to be selling. Having a pretty big sweet tooth, Jin couldn't resist that the big yummy chocolate bar was echoing in his ears saying "eat me". "Well," –taking another bite, "at least I get to burn the calories during combat. I'm sure that even Captain Zaraki won't mind if I bought a chocolate bar."

Just before he could take another bite, something fast grabbed it from him and it didn't take a rocket genius to figure out who that was. "Kusajishi, give me back my chocolate bar! I bought that with my allowance, you little brat!"

"Whatever," pouted the smaller lieutenant, "I like chocolate too, Choco!"

Jin couldn't remember why she ended up calling him Choco. He looked at his hair and let out a sigh; he was a double brown combination and the last thing he wanted to be was to be called something that meant crap. The word "Choco" gave him time to reminisce a little; in the academy, he was considered the best looking and some girls even called him "Jin-sama" hence his ego. He ended up sometimes referring to himself in the third person and often many guys would try to take him down while girls would literally swoon at his feet. However, after that, he lost his popularity when the silver haired Shinigami showed up posing as a boy. The word "Jin-sama" faded away and it was replaced by "Hisoka-sama" but his ego and pride as a swordsman remained. He often challenged Hisoka who single handedly defeated him without using shikai. Well, now it was understandable since she was royalty and so, her reiatsu was clearly different from the others.

He then forgot that Yachiru had been sucking on his chocolate bar. "Oi, Choco, what are you staring at?"

Avoiding Yachiru's gaze, Jin looked at the morning glow passing through the window with a small smile tugging at his lips. "I'm going for awhile. I've done all the paper work so I suggest that you bring them to sou-taichou as soon as you can, Lieutenant Kusajishi."

"Eh," complained the younger, "why!?"

"Because you're lieutenant," Jin stated simply. He was the only one who had patience to try and discipline the girl. Ikkaku had already tried chopping her down and Ayasegawa was on the verge of killing her but everyone knew: Harm Yachiru; face Kenpachi Zaraki who could easily cut you down.

"Mou~," she put on a pout, "I don't wanna!"

"You have to," Jin said while trying to restrain himself from slapping the pink haired lieutenant, "it's your job as a lieutenant. Besides, that paperwork was meant for you and I did your share five times in a row. Do you mind doing something for yourself for once?"

Yachiru and Jin soon had a pouting contest until the little conceded in defeat. "Brat," Jin muttered while seeing her grudgingly pick up the papers.

Standing up with a triumphant smirk, Jin left the squad barracks but he left a note saying that he would head to Karakura Town for his patrol duty.

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Shana on the other hand was staying at the Fourth Division tending to some of the Shinigami. Despite her chaotic nature, she happened to be a very good healer but she left the deep wounds and the critical situations to Lieutenant Kotetsu and Mama (a.k.a. Captain Unohana). She remembered what happened in that little war and it wasn't pretty. She considered herself to be one of the top students of the academy and she nearly had her butt handed to her in the war. Right now, she felt like a wounded lion. Her defeat was like salt on a fresh wound; she told herself fiercely. "I won't lose again! Definitely! Everything hangs in balance because of this!"

However the back of her mind, she was thinking of something else. She remembered seeing the bespectacled Quincy who had saved her life and saw the grace in his actions but somehow, she couldn't understand. Why did Shinigami and Quincies hate each other so much? What is it they [Quincies] and the Shinigami did wrong? Was there a peace treaty they both violated? She was a complete mess and she didn't quite understand so, she sought the answers for herself. "Maybe…"

She remembered that sometimes Squad Four would have patrol duties and she was going to use this chance to patrol in Karakura Town. She was itching to face that Arrancar again. She nearly lost and she wanted payback. She wanted to get stronger but she as a Shinigami had learnt almost everything from the princess herself. Why couldn't she do it? Her powers felt so small when she went against the arrancar and then, she took a look at her left arm: it was her seal or rather, a Quincy Cross. Maybe there was something she didn't know or master yet as a Quincy. Question is: Who to learn from?

The image of Uryuu appeared in her mind as she quickly cancelled while blushing; that was an insane thought in her opinion. The only thing that she would do is create suspicion but it never hurt to try. She also remembered that she had to be back by a certain time since she had to take over for Lieutenant Kotetsu after the meeting, after all, she was fourth seat of the Squad Four barracks and Unohana was starting to have doubts about Iemura taking over and Hanatarou was completely out of the question. Shana despite her emotional instability held common sense; compared to most Shinigami, a girl her age and state of mind would be blabbering about useless things which she never did.

"Shana-chan," a soft voice called her.

The lavender haired little girl looked up to see her lieutenant calling her. "Yes, Isane-nee, is there something wrong?"

"No," Isane smiled, "just letting you know that you're next in patrolling. You're in Karakura Town for patrol duty tonight. Unohana-taichou said that if you encounter and arrancar, don't try to kill it. Just try to make sure you know what its zanpakuto is and then, maybe make your way back here or call reinforcements. A lot of the Squad Four members have been told this though."

Shana nodded but somehow, she wanted to test herself against an arrancar. She wanted to see how well she would fare against one and maybe she could also get changed into another squad. It's not like she hated this squad; she just never liked taking the back seat but when further complications came to play, everyone knew that she could become very dangerous. But, because of her sense of obedience (a trait that Diva liked about the girl), she gratefully took in Isane's advice. "Okay. I won't kill one. But, what if it's a normal hollow?"

Isane shrugged. "I guess do your usual."

The lavenderette nodded while continuing her work. She saw one of the fifth division members report in and every time she heard the words "fifth division", her blood instantly boiled because she could only associate it with one person: Aizen Sosuke. She hated traitors; if it's one thing she hated, it was being betrayed or having people betraying others. Aizen soon became her top priority because she wanted him to pay for everything; she may have not been close to Momo Hinamori but Diva was and that was good enough reason to kick his butt. He deserved it after all; his crimes can't go unpunished after what he had done. Though it pained her to take down someone's idol, somehow the fact of him being a traitor quickly erased that pain and she would kill him without a conscience.

"Ne, Isane-nee," Shana started while packing up the medical supplies, "why is it that Hinamori-chan keeps idolizing Aizen when he's a good for nothing captain? He betrayed them and I still don't get it."

Isane could only come up with one logical answer without making such a fuss. "Let's say it's like you and Diva. Why did you idolize her despite her concealing her identity from the entire Gotei Thirteen?"

"Isane-nee did have a point," thought Shana, "but, she may concealed it from the Gotei Thirteen, she told us about herself. She did it to protect us and everybody else, Aizen's just doing this because he wants to become god which is something everybody here doesn't want. Diva-nee is the true heiress who is why – we can't let it happen. I bet Seireitei would be in total chaos if Aizen no baka took over."

Isane noticed a shift in Shana's expression. "Shana, are you alright?"

The little girl waved her hand dismissively while snapping herself back into reality. "Yeah, I'm okay! No big deal, nee-chan!"

Isane had noticed that the little girl's loyalty was not directly at Squad Four but at the princess. She had remembered that no matter how weird the order sounded, Shana had followed Diva without a question. She wanted to know why but she didn't know exactly how to phrase her question without having the younger one explode at her like a time bomb. "Shana," –her voice was weak while her body quivered, "why are you so loyal to Diva-sama? I mean – you two seem so opposite and yet, you follow her without question," Isane's body trembled even more the moment she finished her statement.

Much to her surprise, Shana took it more calmly than expected. "It's because I owe her."

"You," Isane was completely baffled, "owe her?"

Shana's smile became bitter. "My mama and papa died early; they were killed by Shinigami and I was too. However – unlike most children, I maintained my Quincy abilities despite being dead. Everyone made fun of me because of that; they called me "plum head" because of my hair colour and a "plumed lizard" because of Shinijikumaru. I had no friends when I was a kid, Isane-nee. However, it was raining that day when she found me…"

Isane couldn't stop her eyes from widening from surprise. "It was raining?"

"Mm-hm," Shana nodded vigorously while picking up a few pieces of tissue on the floor, "Diva-nee-chan was with her brother, Fukurou Hisoka-nii-sama. He was a kind guy in truth and he was popular among the Rukon residents. He was known as the "champion of the people" and at that time, so many other kids were pitching stones at me because of my Quincy like abilities. After that, that's when I first met Diva-nee."

_(Flashback)_

"_Get out of here, Quincy brat!" a voice howled angrily._

"_Yeah, get out, plum head!" another screamed mockingly._

"_You're too small!" some others protested violently._

_Three year old Shana was running for her life and she couldn't help but only cover her head with her petite hands. Scratches and scars made themselves evident on her skin after being pierced by many amounts of rocks. Tears slipped from her eyes and she couldn't scream back. She grew afraid of thunder as well which was not helping her. People from Rukon had been chasing her out ever since she got there. She was bewitched; she had been told. Bewitched to be a Shinigami and to look down on them, it was her destiny they said._

_Thunder crackled while she continued running while crying. The sky seemed to cry with her until she heard loud stomping. Looking up, she saw a huge hollow licking his chops in delight; sensing her incredibly weird reiatsu. "What a good meal you'll make!"_

"I thought I was done for that day," Shana mumbled bitterly while narrating to Isane, "until, they came."

_The hollow lunged forward only to be pierced by a sword. The little girl whimpered while a young man stood in front of her with his captain's haori billowing in her face. He had silver hair that was slightly messy but his eyes were these cerulean coloured pools that she could not peel herself away from. From behind her, she heard someone use Bakudo. "This is for you, Bakudo number eighty one, Sokatsui!"_

_A wildfire spread and struck the hollow dead on and the lavenderette saw a silver haired little girl standing behind her. She was five years older than her; she could tell. Her silver eyes gleamed with happiness when she struck the hollow. "Yay, I can do level eighty one kidou now!"_

_The man turned around. "That's good. So what--- huh?"_

_The lavenderette and the silver haired girl made eye contact. She smiled at the younger. "Hi, I'm Diva. What's your name?"_

_The three year old lavenderette didn't know what to say. "Um… I… I have no name…"_

"_Kuwee~, really?" The silver haired girl thought for awhile, "what if I gave you a name?"_

_The little girl was baffled. "Huh… why would you?"_

_The young man sheathed his sword. "A kid like you shouldn't be roaming in the rain when there's thunder. Hollow like preying in this weather so, what name are you gonna give her, Diva?"_

_She turned her head towards the silver haired girl whose mind seemed to be in the clouds while trying to think of a name. "How about Shana?"_

"_Sh...a…na…" The girl tried pronouncing her name._

"_Poor kid," the captain said while covering her with his haori, "who's the dickless ass who decided to leave a little girl in the middle of a storm?"_

"_That's right," the five year old Diva smiled while pointing at her, "Shana. That's your name."_

_Shana looked up at her silver haired saviours and threw herself at Diva while crying her eyes out with tears of happiness._

_Diva nearly fell back but Hisoka managed to stifle his laughter. "Well, at least you have someone to play with now, Diva-imouto. You better not sneak away from the castle anymore otherwise; Uncle's just going to keep dumping you here."_

_(End of Flashback)_

"She gave me my name," Shana admitted weakly, "she was the one who gave me a reason to get stronger. So, no matter what happens, I'm going to fight alongside her, the same way she has always been our pillar of support."

This answered Isane's question partially. "So, where did the Hoshikaze come from?"

"Oh that," Shana smiled, "the word "Hoshikaze" was my first word. So in honour of that word, she taught it to me so I would never forget it and could use it as my last name."

Isane smiled at Shana; she had learned something new about Soul Society's youngest graduate and about one of the mysteries of the princess. Isane motioned to her while pointing at a clock. "Ne, you better go now, you have your assignments remember?"

Shana nodded. "Okay! Bye, Isane-nee-chan!"

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Back at Karakura Town, Ichigo lay back when he remembered fighting against the hollows a few nights back. His body was still sore from what he just went through. Zangetsu lay by his side while he quietly reflected what had happened. He saw the silver haired girl and saw how much better she was than him. He needed to get stronger; no matter what the consequence. Picking up Zangetsu, he headed for the Urahara shop where Yoruichi was staying. He wanted to get stronger so, he might as well ask the former Captains how. He also remembered his training session with Shinji the other day. He also needed a little help from the vizards if he wanted to get any stronger which meant he had to master his hollow side. Hollow Ichigo was getting stronger by the minute and Ichigo didn't want to lose especially to him.

"_A king should always stay on top,"_ –muttered his hollow side, _"or would you like me to take the queen as well?"_

Ichigo shook his head when Hollow Ichigo threatened to take the Queen from him. Deep down himself, he knew who that queen was.

Rukia Kuchiki.

Despite her short tempered attitude, he had grown quite attached to the girl. She had helped him ever since he had accidentally drained her powers and so, he wanted to make it up to her somehow. Despite all the fights they've had, Rukia and Ichigo became very close to each other. Though he was deep in denial, he just wanted to keep her safe. After that last battle, he felt the need for power. Not because he wanted power for the stupid sake of it all, he just wanted the power to protect people and it seemed like Kisuke Urahara was the best consultant for this issue.

Getting up and heading towards his new escape route (a.k.a. the window), Ichigo tried to sneak out until he heard a voice. "Leaving early for training?"

Ichigo turned around and saw his dad standing behind him with Karin and Yuzu; this time, he had no excuse because Karin could see him clearly. "Um…"

However instead of them shrieking at him, Yuzu simply smiled. "Gambatte, nii-san!"

Karin gave him a wide grin. "This war won't end unless you do something about it! You better win!"

Ichigo smiled at the support his siblings were giving while he saw a captain's haori billowing behind his dad. "I'll be going with you this time."

Ichigo was baffled. "Why?"

Isshin smirked. "There's something that's involved here. I think I might be able to help end the war. Besides – I can't keep hiding forever now can I?"

Ichigo nodded while his dad yanked him down from the window sill. "Try using the front door next time, Ichigo."

The orange haired Ryoka nodded after placing Kon in his body. "Hey, you better protect them alright? Otherwise, you're going to have a beating so severe that you're going to regret it. I can't keep going back and forth, Kon."

The Mod soul smirked. "No problem, Ichigo! Onee-sama will be coming to pick you up right about---now."

The window slid open and there stood Rukia. "Ichigo, we better --- oh."

She saw Yuzu, Karin and Isshin standing there and she hung her head low. "Sorry about that. Meet me outside, Ichigo."

The orange haired Shinigami nodded while Isshin told Rukia with a cheeky grin. "Relax; I'll be going with you. We're gonna meet Kisuke right? Well, what are we waiting for? Let's go!"

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At the other side, Orihime couldn't get sleep either so she decided to walk around. She knew that patrolling was more the Shinigami duty but she felt that there was something wrong ever since Ichigo had rescued her. Taking a night stride, Orihime suddenly felt the wind's tension. It was quite ominous and it stated that there was something wrong.

"_Orihime, we got something on the loose," _–stated one of her Shun Shun Rikka, Shun'ō.

"_Looks like this thing's no ordinary piece of crap either," _scowled Tsubaki.

Orihime got ready to release her powers but there was nothing within her range until she felt something just suddenly drop behind her. When she turned around, it was this very big hollow which resembled a very big dragon. A loud snort filled the street and Orihime used a shield like second instinct. "Santenshun Kesshun! I reject!"

A three pronged shield appeared and blocked the huge claw which bounced away harmlessly and Orihime moved away while she kept on blocking. Offence was never her forte and yet, here she was being forced to go on the offence. Because of her defensive style of play, she was pushed to the corner and the dragon howled in her ears. Orihime moved back and felt her hands on the wall. At this point in time, all she wanted right now was someone to appear in front of her and cut the hollow in half. Tsubaki would be fairly useless because of her weak will to fight.

"Hey, I got ya back, hime-chan!" yelled a voice from above.

A whitish gold slash appeared and the dragon hollow fell on the ground while she saw a brown haired Shinigami. She saw a golden hatchet axe glinting in the moonlight. Jin's amber eyes glinted while he smirked. "Second Counter of Fukurou, Bara Otoshi!"

Leave blew past him while the hollow slowly disappeared leaving a shocked Orihime to speak to the young Shinigami. "Kanagura Jin, at your service, Orihime-sama."

The orange haired girl was shocked while Jin's smirk widened. He wasn't that same reckless kid who she saw back at Hueco Mundo. Jin smiled. "Hey, Orihime, you okay? I mean – it's not normal for you to roam around at night."

Orihime shuddered while meekly admitting. "There's something big that's gonna happen."

"I know," Jin's subtle reply came, "looks like we're going to train together then."

Orihime smiled while Jin helped her out of the corner and led her to a junkyard which they could train together.

-That's Chapter 14! Please review!


	15. Wielding Against Royalty

(I don't own Bleach!)

Chapter 15 – Wielding Against Royalty

Ever since that last battle, Shana had been wondering around Karakura until she found someone's residence and it said there in bold hiragana characters: Ishida Residence. The lavender haired Quincy-Shinigami hoped to learn more about the Quincy blood in her and hopefully, create some more techniques that could make their lives easier. She shyly stepped to the door and weakly knocked on it. "Hello?"

There was no answer until she felt someone tap her shoulder. "Are you looking for someone?"

Behind her was none other than Ryuuken Ishida with a strict look on his face, she just prayed that he didn't sense the fact that she was a Shinigami. "Um, I was looking for Ishida Uryuu-san. There's something I'd like to ask him and well, um," she didn't know what else she wanted to say.

Ryuuken eyed her queerly and he felt her reiatsu. "You're a Quincy-Shinigami, aren't you?"

Shana looked up and then turned away while admitting meekly. "Um…"

Ryuuken's stern face still focused on her which slowly dissolved into a smile. "It's alright – there's no need to conceal your reiatsu. The fact that you're a Quincy somehow changes the situation. However, there remains the question: how did you become a Shinigami?

Shana looked away while admitting mutely. "I'd rather not talk about that…"

"Dad," a voice came from above, "what's going… oh."

Uryuu was upstairs in his usual sleepwear while Shana sat downstairs; twiddling her thumbs. Uryuu was pretty much surprised but what captivated him more was that she was no longer in her Shinigami clothes but simple casual clothes. She brushed her hair back while trying to regain her composure. His face started becoming red and he didn't even realize it. He tilted his glasses a little to conceal the blush. "Erm, hello, Shana is it?"

The lavender haired girl nodded before saying anything. Uryuu had a faint smile painted over his face. "How come you're here?"

Shana quietly admitted. "I was hoping if… you could teach me…"

Uryuu raised his eyebrows. "Excuse me?"

"If you could teach me, the Steele Schneider," Shana repeated this time her voice became a little louder.

Uryuu seemed a little surprised but he didn't show much reluctance. "Okay, I can teach you."

Shana was shocked by his sudden answer. "It doesn't need to be today, Uryuu-san."

The bespectacled Quincy however thought otherwise. "The night wind is nice tonight and besides, the earlier we do it, the more we get done, right?"

Shana nodded eagerly while Uryuu simply told his dad. "I'll be out, dad. I'll be home by midnight."

Ryuuken just answered with a grunt as Uryuu and Shana left for outside. Ryuuken smirked. "Quite a unique girl, her reiatsu clashes with each other. Shinigami-Quincy, I never knew that there was such thing."

Closing the door behind him, Uryuu led Shana to an open field where there was nothing there but old junk. He let out a sigh. "So, do you want to start, Hoshikaze-san?"

Shana created a bow from the spiritons in the air with a smile. "Start from the beginning. As in, teach me all the techniques, even the origins of a Quincy start from the very beginning."

"As far as I'm concerned," Uryuu stated with a smile, "you simply know the basics."

Shana whined. "That's the point, so help me!"

Uryuu couldn't say no; he just couldn't say no to her face.

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Back at Seireitei, Diva had noticed Shana's and Jin's departure. A gentle smile curled at her lips while Hitsugaya walked alongside her. They've been walking for awhile and yet, they haven't said anything yet. His emerald eyes would sometimes try to steal a glance at her but she was too fast for him; she managed to catch him sneaking a peek at her several times. She herself couldn't help it; her blood felt like it was racing when she stood next to him. When he had defended her and when they have fought side by side together, the feeling was very different. Fighting alongside Shana, Miko, Reika and Jin gave her the feeling of family but the feeling he gave her was simply… illogical.

Her heart raced and she would feel heat generating at her cheeks. She quickly cancelled her thoughts about it and kept on walking. Her reiatsu surged a little when she remembered the time she couldn't penetrate through the shield of her uncle. It absolutely infuriated her; she wanted to deal more damage but she couldn't and it took all five of them to even make a small dent. The grip on her sword tightened while she felt someone's hand on drop onto her shoulder. "Fukurou, are you alright?"

Diva shook herself out of her thoughts. "It's nothing, taichou."

Hitsugaya let a smirk escape his lips while he watched Diva relax. She had been such a big effect to Squad Ten and Matsumoto actually showed zealousness in dealing with the paper work. The silver haired girl had affected so many people so easily, including him. Her smile alone made him warm inside, it brought out this desire to protect her. While she was selflessly giving her life up for others, she had forgotten about herself. Her kindness towards others was so infectious to the point; it made him rethink about his personality.

"Hey brat, come back here!"

They looked up and saw a little kid running away from a Shinigami. In the kid's hand was an apple from one of the stalls and after him, was a Shinigami most probably from the eleventh division. They were usually the types to go and attack children or maybe even bully them. Hitsugaya sighed. "Geez, Captain Zaraki ought to know how to huh?"

When he looked to his left, Diva was nowhere to be seen and he then saw her knock the guy down. The Shinigami tumbled back while Diva's Shinigami sleeves were now rolled up. Her silver eyes glinted angrily. "Are you that much of a coward?"

The Shinigami roared. "Who are you supposed to be?"

Diva, appalled by his ignorance, she let her reiatsu flow into the air and the Shinigami was paralysed and mentally damaged. He shivered at the sight of her while her reiatsu seemed so cold and tense that he started peeing in his pants. Diva didn't show any mercy either. "Would you like me to report you and have you demoted? Or would you like to be an experimental subject for the Twelfth Division?"

The Shinigami didn't need to be told twice whether or not what his choices were. Like second instinct, he made a run for it. Diva watched the man's fleeting image when the little boy gulped. "Thanks miss."

She smiled sweetly at the boy. "Don't worry. Are you hungry?"

The little boy nodded weakly and Diva found a stall within the walls of Seireitei. "There, I know we can get some pretty cheap food."

A grin appeared on the little boy's face while he took Diva's hand and she led him to the stall. Hitsugaya just stood there; watching what she did. Even he wouldn't have been able to do what he had done to the Shinigami and for the little kid. The boy's face beamed with happiness when Diva gladly gave him the apple and a few more fruits to munch on. He also began asking her about her zanpakuto which she started making excuses for him in order to indirectly say that he would get one like hers someday and somehow. She didn't want to tell him about the academy; he might miss his family and vice versa. However the boy seemed to have known that and he began asking questions about it while Diva gave him the most elusive answers possible.

Hitsugaya had a smile painted on his face when Diva was soon led to these other kids. "She sure has a way with kids and people."

"_The same way she has an effect on you, Toushirou," _drawled the dragon.

"Not now, Hyourinmaru," Hitsugaya scowled while trying to shake off the ice dragon, "I'm trying to enjoy my day here."

"_Your date, rather," _Hyourinmaru smirked.

Hitsugaya had to resist the urge to kick the ice dragon. "Shut up," his tone became icy.

To Hitsugaya's growl, the dragon remained silent while Hitsugaya watched Diva tell stories to the little kids who were waving little sticks like swords. Apparently, she was telling them what it was like being a Shinigami and what they do and what were the important values. Hitsugaya remembered all that when he first entered the Academy but what he doubted more was Hinamori. Aizen had screwed up all her morals completely so she was nothing what she used to be anymore. Hitsugaya's fists curled up into a ball while he grits his teeth in anger; Hinamori was betrayed and no way was he going to let that slide.

"Taichou," a calm yet soft voice called to him.

As if his hatred was never there, Hitsugaya's fists stopped being visibly white while his green pools focused on the silver haired girl. "Fukurou-san, shall we get going? I think we've spent too much time here."

Diva nodded while she smiled ruefully. "Okay, but where exactly where are we going?"

Hitsugaya smirked while he flash stepped away. Diva took this as a proposal for a challenge. "A challenge right now in the middle of Rukongai District? Alright, I guess I should never decline a challenge."

Diva flash stepped after him and when Hitsugaya saw a flash of silver appear next to him, he was quite surprised. For a princess, she moved quite fast and the fact that she was royalty made her reiatsu and her movements a lot more different. Without wasting energy, both captain and third seat kept up with each other however, Diva still had a limitation so, she slowed down a little bit. "Looks like you're still faster, taichou…"

Hitsugaya looked at Diva, his third seat who had slowed down a little. "Looks like your wounds are still open. Despite you being in your best condition, the best thing you should do is to not overexert yourself."

"Says the taichou who nearly got skewered by Halibel," Diva smirked.

"Says the crazy princess who throws herself into combat without a battle plan to keep herself in one piece," Hitsugaya retorted.

Diva smiled weakly in defeat at Hitsugaya who slowed down as well to walk with her. While they walked, Hitsugaya felt his body tense every time he stood near her. He couldn't understand it but Diva pointed out at a small house. "This place…"

Hitsugaya looked at her while her silver eyes slowly brimmed with tears. Hitsugaya tried to pull her away but her feet remained firmly planted in the ground while she began walking towards the house. The captain didn't understand what was going on until he went inside the house. There was a tattered haori of the tenth division and a small jar of water that stayed on the side. The haori was coated in blood and even there was even a bloodied Shihakusho was there. A picture frame leaned against the wall while the princess smiled bitterly at it. "This was the former captain, Fukurou Hisoka."

Hitsugaya couldn't hide the bewilderment that etched over his face. "Your brother?"

"Yes," Diva laid it down while she traced her fingers tenderly on the bloodied haori while memories of her dead brother flashed back into her mind, "you took his place only a little later."

Hitsugaya saw lines drawn on the wall. "Did you---?"

"I lived here," Diva remarked offhandedly, "funny huh? You're probably wondering how a princess like me ended up here. I was thrown out. My brother became a Gotei Thirteen to keep us both alive. We both lived here and we made sure we watched out for each other," –wiping away her tears, "I'm sorry. I shouldn't be crying; I promised nii-sama that I wouldn't cry anymore."

Hitsugaya thought to himself. "I wouldn't be surprised if she cracked right now. She's been concealing everything inside her and she's hidden everything under her poker face which was more painful to keep up. She gave her friends the ability to express in exchange for what? Her ability to show emotion? Or rather – her ability show weakness and emotions?"

Moving stealthily closer to her, Hitsugaya put his hand gently on her shoulder which slowly evolved into an embrace. He didn't know what he was doing but only to find out later that she gladly accepted his embrace and they stayed in one position for two minutes. "Thank you, taichou," Diva meekly replied to him, "No one has ever given me that kind of acceptance before… thank you."

Hitsugaya couldn't understand what made him do this. But, her soft sobs and silent tears just made him suddenly melt and made him hungrier for revenge. Killing Aizen wasn't just for Momo anymore; Diva soon became part of that reason and Matsumoto was included. The three didn't deserve to suffer yet they suffered the full blow of it all. It really pissed him off that he couldn't even lay a finger on Aizen. "Fukurou, may I…?"

"Diva-chan," the third seat replied while wiping a tear from her eyes, "you can call me Diva-chan."

A chuckle bubbled at his throat while he replied. "Diva-chan, if you need any help, you have the squads to ask from." However, that wasn't what he wanted to say exactly. _"Way to go, Hitsugaya Toushiro. You just proved to the world that you're afraid of rejection and afraid of change. Joy."_

Diva's smile slowly became genuine. "Thank you, taichou. But – I think we might be late for the meeting now, we better go."

Hitsugaya nodded while he mentally kicked himself; he felt so stupid after suddenly stopping and not being able to say anything to Diva. His view had changed so much. He thought it was mere infatuation which he kept shaking away however, it progressed and evolved rapidly to the point he was beyond the point of no return: he was lovesick. Shaking his head violently, Hitsugaya tried to shake those thoughts away from him but could not. She had been occupying his thoughts the entire time and he felt like he was going crazy.

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Ichigo on the other hand had been battling it out with Urahara, somehow fighting it out with four people on his tail. Tessai may not be a zanpakuto person but his kidou made up for it, Urahara was former captain and so were Yoruichi and Isshin Kurosaki. They were training him into the ground and they wanted to make sure he could beat Aizen but the fifth captain was no easy cookie. He had absolute hypnosis to deal with things and easily avoid techniques. Be it Bakudo or a simple technique created from their zanpakuto.

Ichigo swung Zangetsu. "Getsuga Tenshou!"

A huge black wave appeared and slashed straight down while the four dodged almost instantly. Yoruichi got behind him with the flash step which he fumbled around again while his buster sword swung like mad. Yoruichi ducked while she managed to sweep him off his feet. Isshin had been clashing with him for awhile and yet, he hadn't released his shikai yet. Urahara had released Benihime and bright red waves flung themselves at Ichigo who blocked almost everything except the impact which sent him flying.

"_Are you going to lose to me, Ichigo?" _A cruel mocking voice rang in his head.

"Of course not, dumbass," Ichigo stood up against the four with a smirk, "I plan to kick your whiny little ass after I kick their asses!"

Seeing the confidence reveal themselves in Ichigo's eyes, Urahara smirked. "Alright, show us what you're made of! Show us that you're more than capable in taking down Aizen one on one!"

The orange haired Ryoka pivoted around and took out Tessai first followed by his own father and soon followed by Urahara. Yoruichi seemed to be the most powerful one. She was fast and despite having no zanpakuto, she was a vicious fighter. She made Soi Fon look like she was nothing despite her being Yoruichi's protégé. Ichigo had activated bankai in order to catch up with Yoruichi but had success in trying to take her down. The former Squad Two captain surpassed him very easily.

Behind him, Orihime, Jin, Uryuu and Shana had joined the fray. They fought hard as well and Jin was enjoying every minute of it. Not just because he got to train with two of the best captains, but also because he had time to spend with Orihime. He sometimes lost his focus but he frequently shook his head to focus on his objectives. Jin was flung back when he and Ichigo now stood back to back. "Ready to do it, Chocolate?"

Jin smirked at his nickname. "Ouji-sama has always been ready to get things done, Strawberry."

Ichigo and he went on full power with Jin releasing his bankai and Ichigo zooming towards Yoruichi. Shana fired arrows that sang into the air towards Uryuu, she may have not learned the Steele Schneider but a new technique came into play: Knuckle Arrow. Like the Steele Schneider, it was an edged attack but it picked up in speed and power once fired. It took Uryuu awhile how to counter it but somehow, this didn't seem like work anymore because he was having fun. "Having fun watching her?"

Uryuu found Ichigo smirking at him while he tilted his glasses up to conceal his blush. "Shut up."

Ichigo shrugged while he blocked another shot. "I still can't believe it though."

The Quincy didn't know what he was getting to. "Believe what?"

"The fact that their own ruler is conspiring against them," Ichigo pointed out, "isn't it wrong? I mean – it sounds like they're going to pull out a rebellion and they're going to dish out some damage but against the king? That's really messed up."

Uryuu muttered something insulting about Shinigami again while he noticed Yasutora also joining the fray. Usually, this wouldn't be much of a concern but he found a loophole for him to help because Shana was partially a Quincy so, his dad couldn't have any objections. Well, he never had some to begin with but now the bespectacled Quincy was starting to think that he had other reasons why he was going all out for this matter. The lavenderette often prodded him to keep his focus and he even learned something new: Razor Beam but his was in a blue colour while hers was pink. The bow matched her hair and even her grace despite her being a child was somewhat unmatched. She dodged the arrows with such grace that he made a mistake sometimes in believing that she was a swan.

Orihime's will to fight was reinforced while going against Jin. This brunette seemed to hold something and it helped her excel. Tsubaki got so much stronger than last time and because of that, she felt so much better. The Eleventh Squad Fourth Seat, Kanagura Jin renewed her resolve to kick some ass and Orihime's attacks became more offensive seeing that she managed to cut the left sleeve of Jin's Shihakusho. The brunette couldn't help but stare at her as well; he made sure that he made himself look as serious as possible. In truth, he didn't want to hurt her but he was more determined to kick Ichigo's ass. Dashing off with blinding speed, Jin clashed swords with Urahara and then managed to kick off his hat but nearly got sent back by Benihime. Dodging it quickly, Jin then kicked Ichigo who sent a Getsuga Tenshou at him. "That's not going to kill me! Eikou Boomerang!" (Glorious Boomerang)

His shot flew around Getsuga Tenshou and smacked Ichigo, the only disadvantage of this technique however was that, he didn't have enough time to react to the Getsuga Tenshou which nearly slammed him into the wall. However, Orihime put up a shield before he could get crushed. Jin smiled cockily. "Arigatou Orihime! Lucky~, now I get to do my thing! Ouji-sama no bigi ni yoina!"

He drove his hatchet axe into the ground and using the ground like a spring, it intensified the strength of his swing almost indefinitely. The swing power and the spiritual power thrown into the attack was monstrous. Urahara swung a red wave at it but the attack bounced off harmlessly and Jin already wearing three limiters. One issued by Soul Society, one issued by him and one put on by Jin himself but this attack was monstrous. His spiritual energy should be miniscule by now but as expected, Jin was exhausted after throwing too much of his power into the attack. By deliberately releasing all his power into one shot, he cracked his limiters which added to his fatigue. "Tsk, tsk, you should watch out for yourself, Kanagura," Urahara scolded.

Jin let out a breath of relief. "I'm just glad I managed to pull off something that huge. I call it – the Viking no Chouchin." (Viking's Lamp)

Orihime was glad with the amount of progress that her friend was making but she herself couldn't help that there was something tugging at her heart as well. It wasn't the same feeling she felt when she was Ichigo. This feeling was only created by Jin and being the bubble head she was, she didn't understand it and therefore, she chose to ignore it. She sent out Tsubaki again and this time, it sent Isshin a few steps back. Tsubaki did rely on her will to fight and the stronger her will was; the better it was for him. This time, he could plummet through walls and somehow, she figured it out all thanks to Jin who kept on taunting her to scuff his face.

Nevertheless, she still didn't like fighting but she realized that pacifying people won't get anywhere anymore. Soul Society's trust in others was now in shambles and they had to rebuild it again and they can't do it by pacifying. Sometimes, the most violent means were the best measures to deal with things. "Oi, Orihime!"

She looked up while Jin slid towards Uryuu at the same time blocking three of his arrows with one swipe. "You better getcha head in the game because you're not going to get anywhere if you keep staring into voids!"

She nodded while focusing her power into the clips once again and sent them propelling towards the others. This was their training battle style; they simply have a battle royale match where they held nothing back. The only ones required to suppress were both Shana and Jin but this was also excellent training for them, this taught them to control their power and still throw around the same damage. They just prayed that they were able to pull off something well.

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"So, as you all know," Yamamoto began the meeting, "the Waterfall of Spirits would be our false king's target."

Everyone agreed to that though most of them were still in shock that their king had been conspiring against them. Byakuya raised a question. "That only leaves one thing: where is it?"

"That's the part we have yet to find out," Yamamoto said, "I believe the Twelfth Division captain can fill us in."

Mayuri stepped forward after standing alongside Captain Hitsugaya. "The Waterfall of Spirits is seen when the sun overlaps with the moon. In other words – a solar eclipse," –clicking a button, Mayuri held a little viewer which showed the picture of the place, "In this case however, it has to be exactly timed because there are five keys to open the pathway. These five keys – are the Execution Squad's zanpakuto: the wand of calamity: Fukitsu Kage, thorn of famine: Shinijikumaru, arc of exile: Shukketsu Boumei-sha, bearer of glory, Eikochouchin and lastly – the reigns of destiny, Shukumei. As long as we have five of the keys, we can open that dimension however, it will take a heavy amount of effort from the wielders."

Yamamoto raised an eyebrow. "So what seems to be the problem?"

"The problem is," Diva stated quietly hoping no one would overhear, "the damage it will do to them. It might not just suck them out it will kill them in the process. I'm not willing to risk my members."

Unfortunately, Kenpachi heard her and brushed off her warning. "Big deal, Jin can handle the fatigue. He's just a lazy ass."

"Sloth or not, Captain Zaraki," Diva pointed out while keeping an honorific tone despite being appalled by his insensitivity towards one of his members, "one of Kanagura's weaknesses is his stamina. Another is his inability to control his reiryouku which is why he cannot even produce a simple level ten kidou. His swordsmanship is magnificent but his prowess in kidou leaves much to be desired."

Byakuya agreed. "Shougetsu can't do much either, she's not excellent in reiatsu control."

"The only ones capable," Diva stated, "are Yuchizawa and I. Lieutenant Yuchizawa always had the upper hand in reiryouku control which is why she's a very well renown Kidou master like Lieutenant Hinamori of the Fifth Squad. Shougetsu-san is quite skilled but her will to release all her power at one is something that she often lacks. Shana can't even keep her reiatsu from clashing with one another. Reika may have control over her reiryouku but she may lose to her bestial side and she will not only attack our enemies but us as well, with all due respect sir," –the silver haired third seat bowed down, "please give us a little more time. I just need to…"

"We have wasted too much time, your highness," Yamamoto said while slamming his stick to the ground, "I want those four in custody, Soi Fon. Bring them here. Unfortunately, your highness, we might need you in custody as well."

Diva had a shocked look on her face while some of the dark corps surrounded her and without hesitation, she put her hand on her sword hilt.

A smile crept up Soi Fon's lips; she had been waiting for this. "Yes, sou-taichou."

Diva saw the look on Soi Fon's face; she knew it was going to be by force because Jin wasn't exactly the type to submit and neither are Shana and Reika. Miko was willing as long as they didn't have swords brandished at her face but that would be most unlikely. Diva put her hands behind her back and began writing on her arm while whispering a kidou spell. "Hadou Thirty Two, Written Wind."

She wrote something on her arm and then it suddenly vanished. She was pretty inconspicuous about it while Yamomoto declared. "We are now wielding against royalty. We have to do something about it otherwise, the balance between Soul Society and the Living World will soon be disrupted. We will wait for the next Solar Eclipse and open the gates ourselves and await the king's arrival there. By then – I'm sure even Aizen will show up including his Espada."

Soi Fon issued the orders through a hell butterfly and Diva smiled; she had already sent the message. In a few minutes time, the four would be prepared for a capture.

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Miko was busy cleaning up at the Kuchiki house until she saw something appear on her left arm. She knew it was from Diva because she was the one who created this technique. It said: _Prepare to get arrested. Come to Squad One Barracks immediately! Also, be aware of Squad Two members! They will be the ones hunting you down. Meet the entire Execution Squad at Squad One!_

Miko shivered at the sight. What has she done? She remembered doing no crime and yet, it said here that she was about to get arrested. She knew the handwriting because it was really Diva's. However, she followed it without question and took her zanpakuto immediately. However, because of Fukitsu's heightened senses, Miko made a mad dash for the back door. They were already knocking on Byakuya's doorstep. Miko phantom stepped immediately and headed towards the First Division barracks. "She probably wants us to meet up with us so she can train us and show sou-taichou something. But, why are we getting arrested?"

While the blonde bolted from building to building, she saw Reika meet up with her. The tangerine haired lieutenant asked. "Hey, what's going on? I just got a message from buchou that we're about to be arrested but for what?"

Miko shrugged. "I don't know, Reika-chan. I know we didn't commit any crime right?"

"Is avoiding paper work a crime because I've been doing that," Reika gulped, "a lot."

"Wait," Miko noticed that there were two of them missing, "where's Jin and Shana?"

"They're on patrol," Reika quietly replied, "they should be out of the way of the dark corps of Soi Fon."

"Hold it," a loud voice yelled.

The two didn't turn around but they gave a look to each other and nodded. Focusing their reiryouku into their legs, Reika and Miko bolted with insane speed. Miko's cerulean eyes became amber gold and slitted that of a cat while Reika felt wings growing out of her back. Flapping furiously, Reika ascended into the air while Miko started running on all fours. This wasn't good for the one chasing them. Reika happened to be the master of aerial combat so despite the flying kidou shots, she managed to dodge them gracefully while she revealed her prowess. She smirked. "This is the mark of a true genius! Watch and learn!"

She swooped high into the air and broke the sound barrier and taking a few dark corps out while Miko also did the same while on the ground. Though the blonde never ran on fours before, the fact that Fukitsu was her zanpakuto affected her style drastically. Miko was now pretty agile and started flipping high into the air and climbing on the walls with monstrous speed. Whiskers appeared on the side of her face while she looked up. "Reika-chan, do you think they're still there?"

The tangerine haired saw that they were gone and no longer chasing them. "Looks like they're gone for now. We might as well split up so they can't catch us that easy. I'm sure Diva has a plan of her own that will help explain our little situation and then, we kick that woman's ass."

Bolts of gold and pink appeared next to them and Jin was now running alongside them. "Ora~? What did Ouji-sama now miss?"

Shana was also bolting for her life. "What's going on nee-san?"

Reika growled. "Soi Fon decided to be bitchy today and decided to arrest us! I have a feeling that she already has Diva."

"But that's impossible," Jin's fist turned visibly white, "what do they want with us? Shit, if sneaking to the human world was a crime then ouji-sama would have known about it. Fukurou should've had a better plan than running."

"What can we do? I mean," –pointing to the dark corps that were previously chasing her behind her, "Soi Fon's lackeys are all around, they could surround us! It's as if they want us in custody! We never did anything wrong, those stupid idiots!"

"There it is," Shana yelled excitedly while they saw the Squad One buildings.

Jin focused reiryouku into his legs. "Shit, we gotta get there faster! C'mon, Skinny Arms!"

Veins bulged at Reika's temple while her legs became more hock jointed. "Watch that comment, your highness! I'll kick you later for that!"

Miko tried to put more reiryouku but soon, she felt her legs getting heavy. She had expelled too much reiatsu and now, she couldn't even keep up. Reika had sensed that right away and picked her up with Shana. "Kanagura, go lift your heavy ass and start flying!"

Jin released his bankai. "I'm not that heavy, Skinny Arms!"

"Ya-ah, go put a cork in it, dumbass," Reika snorted.

Gold wings appeared on Jin's back while he followed Reika into the air. However, because Jin was exhausted from his training match, soon veins bulged at the side of his face. "Shit, what the ---!"

A white bolt of lighting crackled into the air which Jin barely dodged. However, it seemed now that a new personality had taken over Jin's body. "Freakin' sonovabitch!"

With a single swing of his hatchet axe, the dark corps who had been pursuing them now lay scattered on the ground. Reika then remembered that Jin too was like her; his reiatsu was so erratic and strange that he had no control of his hollow side. In other words, he was going wild and if he didn't stop, he would turn into a complete monster. Reika grabbed him with a sigh. "Things I do as the tensai, now Diva's going to blow her top when she finds out what's happening to Jin."

The brunette struggled as fangs began to appear and a gold light began turning into bronze coloured. Reika knew that Jin was officially in no condition to even use his bankai and fly. "Jin, turn off your damn bankai, now! You're going over the point of no return and if that happens, Diva will have to take your head! Kanagura!"

Jin struggled but he had such a hard time because he had to keep his focus. However, the bronze light changed into gold once more when he started chanting in his head. "I am Kanagura Jin! I cannot tolerate failure! I am the prince! I will not lose to a princess!"

The bankai enlarged itself while he grabbed Miko from Reika. "Come on!"

He flew past Reika and finally, they reached Squad One area and burst into the doors without caring. Jin smirked with sarcasm dripping from every side of his mouth and tone. "Ouji-sama's wondering why you're holding such a nice party without us."

It was Reika's turn to protest. "What's with this arrest warrant!? We never did anything wrong!"

Miko gulped and remained silent; Byakuya had taught her one thing and that was never to scream at sou-taichou. "Um…"

However, Shana's attention wasn't at the old man but at their buchou who was being held down by five dark corps. Upon seeing this, she flew into pure rage and like a berserker; she will not stop until her target/s was completely destroyed. "Mama!"

Seeing what she was going to do, Diva ordered. "Shana, wait!"

Learning the Hirenkyaku from Uryuu, she ignored Diva's orders and dashed in front of them with a furious glint in her eyes. "Spread, Shinijikumaru!"

A lizard appeared next to her and arrows struck the dark corps while she grabbed Diva out of the way. The captains then put their swords at Shana's neck who was still snarling. Yamamoto decided to use the easier way. Surging his reiatsu, he attempted to paralyse the five however, Diva quickly softened the impact and the surge did not paralyse them in fact, it did the exact opposite. Reika felt her reiatsu clash with one another and her body started morphing. Claws and fangs started appearing and Reika's face and body started to distort badly. Miko's body began glowing black and her amber eyes became more cat-like while she started howling like a cat. Tails, one by one appeared behind her while she started standing on fours and claws appeared in her fingers. Jin on the other hand had half a mask covering his face and Diva expected this; they weren't used to repelling higher level reiatsu. It was all up to her now but doing so would cause great mental strain. It was now or never.

Her silver eyes changed into a beautiful blue colour. "Minna, stop!"

Her reiatsu easily calmed them down but it was such a heavy strain when all five members of the Execution Squad found blades at their necks. Unohana surprisingly had her blade at Shana's neck and Kenpachi was stepping on Jin's head while digging him into the wood. Byakuya's glare was good enough to send Miko running while Reika had Juushiro and Kyoraku holding her down. Soi Fon pointed Suzumubachi at Diva's neck. "Good, you called them off."

Diva was breathing heavily while she smirked. "I can only do this once a day. Next time, I won't be able to do it, Soi Fon-taichou."

Shana still had her zanpakuto in her hand while Miko crawled up to Reika who was still holding her scythe while Jin was on the floor. "Mama," Shana whimpered.

This was the first battle they have ever lost so humiliatingly; Diva knew that Shana was not used to losing and neither were Reika and the others. "Everyone, drop your weapons."

Reika was appalled. "What!?"

Miko defended Diva. "Buchou has a good point. Please Reika-chan, put your sword down!"

Reika growled. "No! We're not going to be caged up like dogs! I don't want to go back there…! Please anywhere but there," due to an emotional outburst, Reika's reiatsu made a massive change. The wind and night became more ominous while tears slipped from her eyes. "No, I don't want to go back in there! Please, anywhere but there!"

Shana dropped to her knees and began crying too. Diva knew that they only had a small amount of emotional stability when it came to battling people. Miko was fine since she had Byakuya to learn from, Jin didn't really have a say in it due having his face buried through the floor but it was Shana and Reika who had a problem. The word "arrest" was taboo to Reika because the first thing that would flash into her head was a cage with shackles. Shana on the other hand had never been to prison and Diva certainly didn't want her to start now. "Shana, Reika, enough!"

Revealing thirty percent of her reiatsu, Reika and Shana stopped and they dropped down unconscious. Diva looked at Miko who was startled and Jin who was still struggling under the weight of Captain Zaraki's foot. "Shmit, hiff pfoot hif eavy…" (Shit, his foot is heavy.)

Diva looked at sou-taichou and bowed apologetically. "I'm sorry for the sudden outburst, sou-taichou…"

Yamamoto then saw Diva's point; they weren't emotionally stable enough to handle the pressure. Let alone deal with captains and Reika just went wild with anger and fear while Shana just started attacking whoever had held Diva down, let alone get near her. Rushing them into the process wasn't a good idea and Diva seemed to be the perfect teacher for these four. "Fukurou-sama, would you mind teaching these four or rather? We get a captain to do so."

Diva shook her head when she agreed with sou-taichou's idea. "I'll be more than happy to train them."

-That's chapter 15! Please review!


	16. Training

(I don't own Bleach!)

Chapter 16 – Training

Ever since that incident in the First Division barracks, the five were forced to train harder everyday and Yamamoto chose to supervise it in the First Division barracks. Kenpachi handled Jin who learned nothing but to keep swinging his blade; keep his focus and also: stay alive. Jin's training in kidou was terrible; seeing that he couldn't even concentrate a small force of energy good enough to produce a simple kidou spell but his brute strength made up for it. His strength was strong enough to even cut down a building or something that was fifty times his size. He was so used to just slashing things down by using physical force that he never paid attention in his kidou lessons. Kenpachi also thought that kidou was useless and so, he focused more on Jin's physical strength and endurance which changed drastically every time he had a match with the boy.

Yamamoto was quite impressed by Jin's speedy improvement; the boy had been working harder than ever and was even considering appointing him captain of one of the squads. The question was: Did he have the qualities or was Jin some stubborn and hard headed fool who would rush into combat? However, he had noticed that nowadays the brunette was thinking more on ways how to deceive and inflict more damage while he battled. Unlike before, Yamamoto had distinctly remembered that Jin would also just rush in and refuse to follow Diva's orders until later on. Apparently, he was more the one on one guy and he knew that was distinctly also Kenpachi's style of combat. Taking a look at the others, he saw Hitsugaya training his third seat.

The young woman had shown much more prowess than the others but what could he say, she was trained by her brother who was already at the point of captaincy. Diva gracefully flung her sword; she would definitely be a great asset. Deep down, he actually knew what happened to her brother that day. He just didn't know how to break it into the princess who was having multiple political battles of her own. "She is definitely the pillar of her team; she holds them together and makes sure that they hold themselves together and also, she's quite the leader. However – she will never become a leader if she keeps staying this stubborn and reckless."

Diva's blade met Hyourinmaru and sent Hitsugaya flying but he recovered almost immediately. Diva may have been fast in striking but Hitsugaya was many times faster than she was and he knocked her off her feet several times but she managed to disarm a few times too. "You're getting better, Diva-chan," Hitsugaya told her with a smirk.

Jin took a good glance at the short spiky white haired captain who had created a huge dragon projectile and hurling at her while he was already at par with her swordsmanship. It mattered now on how good they are in terms of strategy. "He's calling her Diva-chan now? Just how close are they anyway?"

Jin smirked; she wasn't even using shikai and this captain of hers had already released some projectile techniques. But he learned something later on; it was part of her strategy to do so. She always waited for the perfect time to strike; she never let her guard down either and made sure that she never left anything to chance. "That's why she was valedictorian of the academy," Jin muttered, "but she's always so severely distrusting. I didn't even know that she was a girl til now. I didn't even know that she was royalty. She even went into the boy's bathroom. No wonder she stayed in the cubicles and locked it."

Shana watched the sword of her buchou meet with Hyourinmaru, Hitsugaya's zanpakuto while her arrows were being blocked by Unohana. Isane however was also working with Unohana on this since Miyazuki was never really an attacking zanpakuto. "Your arrows are losing their accuracy, Shana-chan. Please focus at what you're aiming."

The lavenderette turned away from the meeting blades; mumbling an apology while Miko was being taught how to hold her ground since she was nowhere brave. She may have a power but she had no idea how the hell to use it. She only had one technique which caused an ear piercing shriek but other than that, she couldn't even swing her staff correctly. Renji had been scolding her for the past ten minutes while Miko tried her utmost best to even swing her staff. Byakuya was teaching her kidou which she easily picked up but she was afraid to use it since she completely disliked fighting. Everybody was now beginning to wonder how she even ended up at the Sixth Squad when her nature is that for a Fourth Squad. "Shougetsu seems to be getting the hang of it now, if only she could swing her staff as if it were a blade and take down her opponents."

Reika on the other hand was going a little slow with the attacking as well. She had two third seats pestering her while her taichou, Ukitake Juushiro made sure he took it easy on her. The tangerine haired lieutenant's wounds had split open from that earlier emotional outburst and she had to take everything slowly again. "Sentaro, can't you swing a little harder? Geez, you make Miko look like she's Hercules or something," Reika teased playfully.

The third seat, infuriated by Reika's insult then began to swing even harder than before. This got Reika burning more reiryouku and taught her to control herself even more. Ukitake tried to calm down Sentaro while Kiyone Kotetsu began laughing her head off. "Reika-san, please don't do that. You still have open wounds from awhile ago!"

Reika couldn't hold back her laughter while she wiped a tear from her eye. "I'm sorry, I couldn't resist. I have a better idea – hey, ouji-sama! Get your butt here and fight me!"

Jin never backed down from a challenge. "Mada mada dana, Yuchizawa!"

Miko and Shana could only exchange looks with each other with a sigh. Reika and Jin never hesitated to challenge each other and were more than ready to take down an arrancar when required. Ukitake held Reika. "Reika-san, please don't bother Jin. He's training with Zaraki right now."

However, the two didn't seem to heed Ukitake while they charged at each other with Jin smirking. "Ouji-sama no bigi ni yoina!"

Reika charged in while swinging her scythe yelling otherwise. "Prowess my ass! You're gonna go down!"

Their sword exchange was swift and even the captains were staring at them. They were so uncontrollable and they weren't even heeding the commands of their captains. Miko shivered while she felt the battle thirsty intentions of both fighters. "Buchou, what should we…?"

Diva had vanished from her captain's side immediately and they heard a loud crash and found Jin and Reika on the floor with the blunt edge of a claymore touching their necks. "Yudan sezu ni ikou, Kanagura, Yuchizawa. People can just come and attack you at that point in time and here you both are, slacking." (*She just said "Don't let your guard down", quote taken from Tezuka Kunimitsu from Prince of Tennis, I don't own it!)

Jin huffed while scrambling to his feet. "Don't tell me what to do, Fukurou."

Reika allowed an innocent smile pass on her lips while helping herself up as well. "Mou~, is it possible to have a snake down the gaki's," –referring to Jin, "pants?"

Diva felt a migraine coming on while she twitched a little at the tensai's idea. "Fifty laps, around the first division, both of you."

The brunette of the eleventh division dropped his jaw while his eyes widened. "Are you serious?"

The tangerine haired girl clucked her tongue. "Maa~, you're being very mean spirited today, Diva."

"Go before I decide to double it," Diva's eyes flashed while the two went off; no longer having the desire to gain more laps.

Miko gulped while whispering to Shana. "Buchou's scary. She always punished us this way."

"I know," Shana whimpered, "Mama hates it when something or someone does something wrong in training. I mean – I know she's taking it seriously and I think; it's about time they got on her nerves."

Diva walked towards her taichou. "I'm sorry. I guess I'm the only one who can ever stop those two."

A female howled at someone. "GAKI!"

"SKINNY ARMS!" yelled another voice.

"Baka," growled the other.

The male retorted back at that comment. "You wanna have a go eh, skinny arms!?"

"Che," spat the other voice, "Kahou ha nete mate." (All things come to those who wait) = (quote of Akutagawa Jirou from Prince of Tennis, once again I don't own it!)

Jin smirked. "I bet you're just scared."

Miko let out a sigh while she passed a look to her buchou. "I better go stop them. Their quarrel could break out and," she then started ranting uncontrollably into panicky mother mode.

Shana squeaked. "Nyuu~, so what do we do, buchou?"

Diva folded her arms after placing her sword into its sheath while replying coldly at the two girls in annoyance. "I might as well add their laps."

Shana and Miko had a sweat drop coming from behind them. "Buchou's not going to forgive them this time."

Hitsugaya tapped Diva on the shoulder. "Leave them be, Diva-chan. I mean – you already gave them fifty laps and you want them to do ten more? Isn't that a little exaggerated?"

The silver haired Shinigami turned away from the door to face her captain. "Alright."

Steel clanging and creating deafening sounds echoed in the room monotonously again and finally after, Jin and Reika returned panting and glaring at each other. Miko began scolding. "What's the matter with you two!? Can't you guys keep your head in the game? I may not be as good as Fukurou-buchou or Renji-fuku-taichou but that doesn't mean I don't have the right to scream at you! You guys are both acting like children and you can't even focus on something so simple!"

Jin and Reika could only hang their heads low and Shana passed a whisper to Diva. "Is that why?"

Diva nodded while giggling a little. "That's why I made her fuku-buchou. Someone has to contrast my strict personality after all."

"You still have your devil leadership," Shana added quietly.

"Hm? What was that," Diva turned around with an angelic smile gracing her lips.

Shana froze and turned back to Unohana. "N-nothing, Diva-buchou!"

The silver haired buchou turned around with a smile of triumph and seeing that she had won. "Okay, continue."

Shana shivered at the jitters sent by her buchou and the stare boring holes into her back while returning to her captain and lieutenant. Yamamoto watched them improve little by little, sooner or later; they would have enough power to at least fight down Tousen. Aizen was on another level; that would be his fight. The five may be promising but they weren't ready. They were a hundred years too early to even lay a finger on Aizen and some of the captains couldn't even lay a finger let alone get close enough. The only one who probably had enough prowesses to take him down would probably be him and the two senior captains Ukitake and Kyoraku. The other captains could handle the Arrancars and maybe Tousen and Ichimaru but Aizen was completely out of the question.

"That should be enough for today," Yamamoto's voice boomed while the sword clashes stopped, "tomorrow; we'll start with a tournament which will involve slaying of hollows. The details will be sent to you via hell moth. All squads return back to their barracks."

The captains replied with a harmonious "roger" while they returned to their barracks.

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Diva walked calmly with Hitsugaya while taking a look at the sky every once in awhile. She was walking back with Hitsugaya and Matsumoto and having a few thoughts of her own. She wasn't sure about what was going to happen during the Winter War but her thoughts were soon interrupted when Matsumoto let out a groan. "Ne, taichou, what's the tournament about?"

Hitsugaya shrugged while answering absentmindedly. "It's about slaying the most number of hollows. That's as far as I know. But, we have to win no matter what."

"It's exactly like the graduation exam except we have a certain amount to reach in our exam. We need to make sure that we don't get careless or someone could get killed. Aizen could even choose to attack at this point in time," Diva recalled quietly while stretching her fingers a little bit.

The strawberry blonde couldn't believe that her superior (who was many years her junior) and her subordinate (who was also younger than her by many years) was even more serious and uptight than she was. If she calculated right, they were acting as if they've past a thousand years of their life already. "Geez, you two are so serious all the time! Don't you guys know how to loosen up? I mean – we can go get sake right, taichou?"

Hitsugaya's reply was stern. "No. We're heading back to finish the paper work."

"I'm underage, Matsumoto-san," Diva declined politely.

Matsumoto couldn't believe what was happening because they were so many years younger than she was and they were acting like grown ups. It made her feel so childish but that didn't mean that she was out of tricks to somehow drag her taichou and their innocent third seat into some fun. "What if we finish the paper work early? Wanna go swimming?"

Hitsugaya could've sworn that he felt a migraine coming on. "Matsumoto, we don't have a swimming pool here."

Diva laughed sheepishly but that was good enough to make Hitsugaya's mood mellow down. A blush tinted his cheeks a little bit but Hitsugaya quickly dismissed his thoughts about her and maintained his composure as best as he could. If only Diva had mind reading powers, she wouldn't be as oblivious as she is now. "Taichou, are you okay," she asked.

Hitsugaya quickly replied. "I'm fine. Don't worry."

Matsumoto however was quick enough to catch the blush on her captain's cheeks. "Aww, you're growing up, taichou! You're so cute!"

Hitsugaya felt a vein pop in his head. "Ma…tsu…mo…to!"

The strawberry blonde leapt away from her taichou and hid behind Diva who was giggling softly. "Help me!"

Hitsugaya had his hand on the hilt of his blade and he was ready to slash Matsumoto but restrained himself from doing so after seeing Matsumoto use Diva as a shield. "Matsumoto, that's the most cowardly thing I've ever seen you do. Diva wouldn't be good enough to protect you from her own very pissed off captain now would she?"

Diva felt a little insulted but her face remained impassive. "I guess."

Hitsugaya realizing what his mouth just shot off, he rephrased his sentence. "Okay, let me rephrase that: I won't be hurting her because I'll be able to flash step behind you."

Matsumoto would rather not suffer the wrath of her angry taichou so she tapped Diva on the shoulder. "You two have fun okay?"

Diva's face became completely vermillion. "What's that supposed to mean!?"

Matsumoto didn't explain it to her while she darted away leaving a very shy Hitsugaya and a confused Diva. The white haired captain said nothing while he watched Matsumoto; he wanted to make sure that he punished her later for leaving him like this. Especially when he was at a very awkward situation, explaining himself to the third seat and most of all, showing a different side of him was something he wasn't very experienced in. His eyes fell on the third seat Shinigami who was staring at his lieutenant's fleeting figure. "Sheesh, come on, Diva-chan. We better finish the paper work back at the squads."

The silver haired girl nodded while following after her captain. Diva had to keep forcing down the blush that was creeping up her cheeks. She felt inspired by her captain to fight harder but there was this other emotion peeking behind it. She didn't quite understand what it was but because of it, she was even willing to lay her life down for her captain. She shook her head to remove the thoughts from her mind. "Ah, who am I kidding? I'm going nuts. Maybe it's the pre-war jitters that are getting to me."

"_Mistress, it's something called infatuation," _Shukumei's kind voice entered her mind.

"Shukumei, call me crazy but why would I be infatuated with my captain?" Diva asked all because she didn't understand what she was feeling deep down inside her heart.

"_You at first admired your captain. He had saved you countless of times, he also has been a friend to you, Diva-sama,"_ –the silver steed quoted while remembering the times Diva had instances to break, _"Diva, you've never trusted anyone this much. Let alone the Execution Squad. You never opened your heart to them because you were afraid to show that you were weak. Among all of the people you met, he apparently, is the only one who knows what you've been keeping down inside."_

Diva raised an eyebrow at that comment. "True but, how and why…?"

Shukumei sighed at her oblivious master. _"I'm sure it will come to pass. I'm sure what you feel is something merely called admiration. However, unlike Momo's admiration for Aizen, yours seemed to have taken a different track. You have evolved it into something called "loyalty". That's something that's hard to see from you. Your head is so hard that I think even Komamura-san will not be able to dent it with his zanpakuto."_

The silver haired princess smile inwardly at herself while she didn't hear the voice calling her. "Diva-chan, you're spacing out. Diva!"

Noticing that her captain had been calling her for the past three minutes, Diva nodded while keeping her poker face in check. "Hai, gomenasai, taichou."

Hitsugaya watched the third seat slowly get in front of him. He really didn't know what to say to her anymore. The war in Seireitei had made many people so uneasy that it was good enough to make friends go wacko on each other. "Diva, how long have you been wielding Shukumei?"

The silver haired girl tried to recall but just decided to estimate. "More than I can ever imagine."

"Then tell me," Hitsugaya was really unsure but he was so curious, "if the zanpakuto is your brother's, how come it's with you?"

Diva's smile became mournful. "I really don't know. Actually, all I know is that – there cannot be two of the same zanpakuto so, maybe I just inherited it I guess?"

Hitsugaya nodded; somehow, he found it quite difficult to even put up a decent conversation. The air that was around them thickened almost immediately when they ended their conversation. Hitsugaya wanted to say something to comfort the princess about what was going on but he had no idea upon what to say. "Diva-chan, would you like to go through a little extra training?" However, at the back of his head, Hitsugaya groaned. "Great, way to go, Hitsugaya Toushiro. I officially crown you as the stupidest boy prodigy on the planet."

Diva however simply smiled at him. "Sure. I don't like being caught careless."

They headed towards the tenth division barracks and decided to hold a friendly match. With their swords drawn, they took after each other again. Hitsugaya's movements were more fluid and this time, he managed to counter Diva's first counter: the Phantom Blade. However, he never expected his dragon to be countered by the Bara Otoshi and be sent away somewhere where nobody could get hit. The tenth division gathered around to see the once friendly match became more intense while Diva had been forced to bring out four of her counters. For some, that was a pretty great achievement because people usually get shocked and stunned by the first two before she could even use the next eight.

However, next thing she knew it, she found the chain tied around her waist. Cursing softly at her predicament, Diva tried to twist out of it but Hitsugaya happened to be stronger and he pulled her towards him. She spun and instead of meeting a blade near her face, she found his face near hers. She heard him smirk and whisper something she thought she would never hear from her icy cold captain.

"Diva, daisuki…"

-That's chapter 16! Please review!


	17. Driven By Loyalty To Say I Love You

(I don't own Bleach!)

Chapter 17 – Driven by Loyalty To Say I Love You

Diva couldn't help but be awed by what Hitsugaya had whispered to her. Her body felt like it melted while he whispered to her those words. Was that the main purpose why she was called out here to train with her taichou? She couldn't help but wonder while her face was still red like a tomato. Hitsugaya's chain was still chained to her waist but she noticed that it had slowly slipped down while in replacement of the chain, it was her taichou's arm while she found his face completely near hers. His words echoed in her mind once more. "Diva, daisuki."

The silver haired princess quickly tried to regain her composure while she looked into the emerald eyes of her captain. "Taichou…"

Hitsugaya smiled warmly at her. "Yes?"

She couldn't feel her own body but she felt the need to say what she had kept quietly hidden. After all this time, Shukumei had helped her figure out her feelings. She took quite awhile to sort out her emotions when she stood next to her captain. Many times she thought she was insane but in the end, she was not. It was no longer loyalty she felt for her captain but something else. "Taichou, daisuki…"

The white haired captain of the tenth squad sheathed his sword slowly while the squad members saw the progression of the fight evolve into something. Hitsugaya's emerald pools focused on her shining silver ones while their faces were now inches apart. His hand tenderly cupped her face while the squad members remained silent in fear of the wrath of their taichou who was openly showing his affection to his third seat Shinigami. Hitsugaya thought they were alone until he heard something loud and clear squeal. "Ah~, taichou! You finally told her!"

Hitsugaya turned around; only to see Matsumoto with twenty shades of red colouring his face. "Ma-tsu-mo-to!"

Diva blushed madly while the strawberry blonde lieutenant grinned. "This should be put in the archives!"

The white haired captain gave his strawberry blonde lieutenant an icy glare. "Get out and I want everyone to stay in the barracks, now."

The squad members felt their captain's deadly icy reiatsu and they all backed away quietly until he and Diva were alone. Seeing that they were gone, Hitsugaya led Diva to a small garden which was full off bushes and roses and more flowers. Hitsugaya closed his eyes while focusing his reiatsu into the air. "Zettai Reido." (Absolute Zero)

The air suddenly began chilly while Diva hugged her body to warm herself when she noticed the flowers taking a new colour. It was the same blue colour; she was astounded by the sight and that's when she finally recognized the sender of those roses. "You…"

Hitsugaya gently plucked out one of the roses and gingerly traced her hair while inserting the rose. Putting her hair behind her ears, the rose now added a gentle touch to her features. His eyes showed genuine concern; a look that not all of Soul Society has seen yet. "Diva, ever since… I thought I had lost it when I met you. You were too different. You supported the weight of Soul Society on your shoulders and I admired your spirit. You cared genuinely for your teammates and you showed loyalty in a way I have never seen. I… thought I just liked you but… I guess, I have no idea anymore," –his confession become even more sheepish.

Diva felt his hand move on to hers while his left hand had laid itself on her face. His fingers slowly traced her hair while she felt the sudden urge to lean in. Hitsugaya didn't seem to mind; he gently pulled her closer while his eyes watched her close her eyes with her true smile making its appearance. He had heard her murmur something while she leaned in. "Taichou, daisuki."

Hitsugaya watched her drift into a light sleep while a smile made its way to his face. In his eyes, she was an angel. Not just any angel anymore, she was **HIS **angel.

"_I could stare at this forever…"_

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Jin quietly walked down the street while contemplating on some things. He remembered the time he got beaten by Aizen while his fist balled up so hard until his fists became visibly white. His brown eyes glittered with anger when he remembered the time they were nearly killed. "Why am I so weak? Orihime-chan had improved in such a small amount of time yet, why can't I do the same!?"

He stopped in his tracks and looked at his hands. He remembered the time started pulsating with power. That day when he started feeling something bubbling inside of him and when he felt his reiatsu going wild, Jin though his pride would never allow it he began to admit that he was actually the weakest one among the five. "Damn, what am I going to do? I've been trying everything and yet, why don't I get stronger? Why? Why," –drawing out his zanpakuto and putting in shikai form while shoving it through the ground, "WHY?"

The Shinigami around him stared at him as if he had lost his mind while slowly moving away from him. Jin felt his reiatsu go erratic again while he stormed away in annoyance. There was only one place he could look for help and that was his own squad barrack. He wasn't sure however on how Zaraki would take it or even maybe Ayasegawa or Ikkaku would take it but he decided to gamble his chances. Walking slowly towards the squad barracks, he prepared to dodge any flying stray shots and there he found Ikkaku frustrated and grudgingly doing the paperwork. A smirk found its way to the brunette's face; looks like Yachiru decided to neglect her paperwork again. "Hey, pachinko head. You wanna have a few rounds?"

Ikkaku was obviously irked by Jin's statement when he heard the insult. "Say that again, gaki!"

Jin knew that Ikkaku's temper was beginning to flare up again and that's all the brunette needed to have a good fight. "I said: HEY PACHINKO HEAD. YOU WANNA HAVE A FEW GOOD ROUNDS?"

Finally dissed off and irked by Jin's taunt, Ikkaku leapt from behind the desk while swinging his zanpakuto. "Extend, Hokuzukimaru!"

Jin laughed inwardly at this attempt. He had remembered what Diva had always told him back then during the academy. _"A calm and collected head always wins the battle. Water always prevails over fire."_

"She's pretty wise for someone who's within my age gap," the brunette admitted weakly while dodging the attempt of Ikkaku to take off his head, "Slash, Eikochouchin!"

His hatchet axe appeared while clashing with Ikkaku's extendable staff which caused Ikkaku to fly back while Jin decided to drag the fight outside. Blows were exchanged while each had a different objective: Jin's objective was to knock out his opponent in the fastest time possible and make sure that the squad barracks were still intact while Ikkaku's goal was to prolong the battle and have fun. The chain staff extended itself while sending the attacks in different angles. Jin dashed away while trying to counter it and trying to hit Ikkaku's blind spot. The question was: where was it? Then, he felt something rushing into his veins like some renewed adrenaline. He soon found his skin turning red little by little and he felt something inside if him start to well up. He felt his body starting to move by itself when he started seeing blind spots and started gaining control of the battle. Ikkaku himself was shocked by Jin's sudden change in strategy because he only realized later that Jin was controlling the flow of the fight when he had a drastic increase in his power. "What? Where did you…?"

Soon, he found a spiritons circling around Jin's body causing a massive cyclone which then focused on Jin's staff. The third seat was practically shocked and excited at the same time because he had never seen an attack like this nor had he ever seen Jin so serious. He was starting to have fun while he pitched his staff out. "Come on, Kanagura! Show me what you've got!"

Jin's body moved somehow instinctively to dodge the flying attacks. "What… is this? What in the world… I know what I can call it," –raising his blade high enough, Jin smirked while he began attacking every one of the weak points of Ikkaku, "Cyclone Hatchet!"

The technique engulfed Jin into a hurricane which allowed him to coat his weapon with reiatsu which was bursting with wind vacuums and also heavy wind pressure. His spiritual pressure somehow managed to gather the wind into his blade and around his body in order to amplify his strength ten times more than it usually was. Ikkaku however then began to notice that Jin's personality too began to change. He had noticed that the boy's eyes became bloodshot while his skin began smoking as if it were on fire. "Ahahahaha," Jin began to laugh maniacally, "come on, come on, and fight me!"

Ikkaku dodged left and right and he soon couldn't find a blind spot. Jin's attacks became even more unpredictable and he even got more brutal and dirty; even resorting to one of his scissor kick moves where he twisted both of Ikkaku's ankles in order for him to beat the living crap out of him. "Damn," –Jin soon began howling, "No matter what I do, you still keep getting up! Why won't you die!? I'm going to spray your blood all over the barracks if it's the last thing I do!"

Jin's strategy then changed from knocking out Ikkaku into completely obliterating him. Large bursts of reiatsu started streaming all over the place and it even attracted some of the Shinigami while some birds in the skies had flopped down because of the intensity and the maliciousness of Jin's spiritual pressure. Ikkaku had never felt so excited and afraid in his life; Jin was turning into something he didn't know and he even noticed a hollow mask forming at the base of Jin's jaw. It started crawling all over his face like an infectious parasite and his hands became more claw-like. Jin's once brown hair started changing into white while his sclera changed into a bloody red colour. Ikkaku felt the mental pain that Jin's spiritual pressure alone was putting him through and this is when he realized that there was slight truth to what the false king had been saying: Jin's power was too malevolent to be that of a Shinigami yet too pure to be that of a hollow. He was definitely not an arrancar seeing that he showed no cero blasts or any other hollow characteristics yet. "Oi, Kanagura, don't make me take your head!"

The fourth seat refused to heed Ikkaku's call. "Ahahahaha, you're just afraid! You're afraid to fight me aren't you? You're nothing but a weakling! You can't even keep up with me, Madarame Ikkaku!"

The large erratic malevolent energy had attracted quite a crowd while even some of the dark corps showed up. Soi Fon had appeared while she stared at Jin's maniacal figure. "What in the world is that," –referring to Jin's crazed state, "I've never felt this kind of reiatsu anywhere! What is he!?"

This had also attracted Yamamoto to the scene where they saw a shocked Ikkaku and an equally excited Zaraki. "Whoo, you should look at this raw power! This power's nasty! This sounds like a challenge!"

Jin's maniacal laugh sounded into the air while Jin started making his way to Ikkaku who was badly beaten up and was already half dead after many brutal strikes. However, four speed sounds were heard when Jin soon found out what was surrounding him. "Hehehe, Fukurou. What a pleasant surprise…"

Diva's silver pools glowered at the bloodshot ones of Jin. "A pleasant surprise to see you in your devil mode, Kanagura," –she added venomously and sarcastically, "what I don't understand is how you managed to drive yourself this far when it was only a simple practice match. I have no intention of killing you here either."

Shana's bow was drawn out. "Kanagura, you better pull yourself together."

"There's a ninety percent chance that he doesn't give a crap to what's around him now, Fukurou-buchou," Reika assessed while she watched Jin run wild, "the gaki needs to be taught his place again."

Soi Fon snapped her fingers while pointing at a white haired Kanagura Jin. "Men, tie up this demon."

The dark corps lunged but Diva ordered Miko. "Shougetsu, I want a barrier. A barrier so strong that nothing can penetrate it unless you let it be penetrated."

The blonde nodded while gathering reiryouku into her hands and placing them on the floor. "Hadou 67, Pillar of Light!"

A huge white barrier had blocked off the dark corps while Diva, Miko, Shana and Reika stood at the other side. The tangerine haired lieutenant of the thirteenth division pulled out her zanpakuto with a devilish gleam in her eye. "Your orders, buchou," she expected a full scale battle between them and a crazed Kanagura Jin.

However, Diva seemed to contradict her thoughts. "All three of you will hold the barrier. I will face Kanagura myself."

Obviously appalled by her choice, Miko began to protest. "But buchou, if you do that, Jin-senpai might beat you! What more if you end up getting killed? What if you get skewered by him? What if," she then stopped ranting when she saw a cerulean gleam appear in her buchou's eyes, "Shougetsu, I promised I would be the pillar of support and I will live up to that promise. Yuchizawa, Hoshikaze, Shougetsu, I know this seems a little selfish but, I cannot back down now."

Reika felt the determination behind her buchou's words. "Alright, we'll bide you some time. Soi Fon-taichou's corps might try to bash the barrier but we'll hold them off. Just remember buchou: Kesshite kibou wo utte haikenai."

A faint smile appeared on the silver princess lips while she turned her back. "Ah."

With monstrous speed and strength, Jin darted forward while clashing swords against his silver haired female rival. His movements were almost blurred while his sword sang true; Diva however concentrated only in parrying his blows and not making any offensive damage. Shana turned to Reika. "Nee-chan, why is Mama not attacking? She's just…"

Reika didn't understand the strategy either but she knew Diva's body had a limit. Her lavender eyes turned to Diva's feet which she knew that was where the problem lied. "Buchou, you may be perfect in almost everything. You're smart [well, except in geometry], you're pretty and you learn things pretty quickly but physically, you have a limitation."

Miko's eyes widened. "You mean…?"

"Her stamina has its limits," Reika nodded solemnly as she remembered, "that foot defect of hers is the one that's causing her problems. That's why she can't use the Phantom Step too much. It will destroy her muscles and render her crippled and constrained to a wheel chair. She's flat footed and because of that, it affects on how fast she goes. Once there's too much strain on it, she won't be able to move and then, she'll be left vulnerable."

The blonde couldn't help but feel even more worried. "You're playing a long and protracted game, buchou. Please be careful. Jin-kun at this rate is very…!"

A weapon sang high into the air and stabbed through the floor. Miko gulped and Shana saw it was Jin's zanpakuto. "Yay, she won!"

Reika smirked. "That's the way it should be done, buchou. Show them that you're really the pillar."

Diva pointed her blade at Jin who was leaning against the wall. "Looks like your body is exceeding its limit. Pull back while you still can."

Jin was breathing heavily and his shihakusho was in shreds. "No," –his voice sounding more demonic, "I can't lose."

Diva remained silent while Jin muttered. "My mom and dad, they all died before me. It was no fair. I wanted to die first, it was no fair. Something began happening to them and they were engulfed in these white bubbles and they started howling. They murdered all my brothers and sisters and finally I was left with no choice," he began licking his lips; signalling Diva that he was going to attack.

His figure vanished and Diva swung her sword instinctively when Jin's hatchet axe had met her edge. "That's why I killed them," Jin growled while forcing more of his power unto his sword, "I killed them while they slowly devoured my siblings as if they were hanging cheap pork chops at the local butchery!"

Diva's eyes narrowed with disgust while she flung him away with her sword while dodging another Cyclone Hatchet attack executed by Jin. Miko lunged forward to help only to be stopped by Reika's arm. "But why? Why are you stopping me?"

Reika motioned her with a shake of her head. "You know that she wanted to take this battle on her own. She knows that he's going to fly over his limit and she knows that we're nowhere as strong as he is. Sure, we're smart, we're much prettier but his strength is that of a monster. Do you think we can actually attack him with the same amount of force? There's nothing we can do. Buchou's the only one with a calm enough mind to deal with someone like Jin."

The battle ensued to its second part while Jin had gone on the offensive again. Diva could only parry the blows that were given to her by Jin and she was forced to drag out her counters. "First Counter, Phantom Sword."

Her strikes were very fluid and quick while Jin just charged in while ignoring the pain being dealt to his body. His eyes were glowing with arrogance and anger while rushed towards her. Diva side stepped to avoid his attacks while his hatchet axe extended and nearly sawed off her head. Using the blunt edge of her claymore, she knocked Jin off his feet and managed to corner him again. "I have said it once and I will say it again: revert back to your true form. Suppress your inner hollow before you lose yourself, onegaishimase."

Jin was breathing haphazardly while staring at the once silver orbs of the princess. He didn't see coldness in them in fact; he saw concern when Diva's eyes literally had tears trickling down their face. Jin reverted back slowly while he saw the princess motioning to her teammates. "Alright, you guys can stop now."

Miko and Shana lowered the barriers while the dark corps rushed in. Diva due to exhaustion, she slowly dropped down unto the floor while the tangerine haired lieutenant caught her from falling. "Geez, buchou really exhausted herself," then, she noticed a shining blue roses adorning the buchou's hair, "hm? Where did she get this?"

The brunette noticed a sword lying a few feet away from him and recognized it as the princess' zanpakuto. "Seems like she saved me yet again. I've gotten quite careless."

Miko helped him. "You shouldn't just attack like that, Kanagura-san."

Jin lowered his head sullenly. "This just proves how much of an idiot I am in terms of attitude and reiatsu control."

Reika passed a look to the exhausted captain. "You alright?"

Diva raised an eyebrow while replying in a monosyllabic fashion. "Ah."

The tangerine haired lieutenant rolled her eyes knowing that her buchou really did have a thick head and she decided to poke. "Where did the rose come from, maa~, Fukurou-buchou?"

The silver haired princess looked away while the lieutenant tensai could've sworn that she saw her buchou blush. "I just picked it from the bunch I had."

"Quite fresh if you ask me," Reika remarked offhandedly while she observed it again, "no seriously, where did you get this flower and where did you come from?"

Diva had no reply while Reika sighed in her mind. "She hung up on me again. Great."

Shana walked alongside the lieutenant. "You're going to pester her later, aren't you?"

A sardonic smile appeared on the lieutenant's face. "Oh yes, indeed I shall."

-That's chapter 17! Please review!


	18. Hope That Lies In The Eyes of Others

(I don't own Bleach!)

Chapter 18 – Hope Lies In the Eyes of Others

Jin felt exhausted after his big entourage. He didn't know what his mind had gone through and he seriously wished that he had gotten stronger but there was nothing. He was completely a dead waste after all that power he had just flung around and yet, Diva managed to stop him. She wasn't even using her full power; in his eyes, she was only using ten percent of her usual reiatsu and all she did, was parrying his blows without making much of a fuss. "I can't believe this," throwing his hands up in disgust, "she actually beat me, again!"

The brunette fourth seat of the Eleventh Squad stayed in the containment field of the Fourth Division. His reiatsu had once again become so erratic due to his little stunt and then, he found Miko waiting outside. "Hey, what are you here for? Weren't you with Fukurou to stop me?"

The blonde nodded meekly while Jin snorted. "I knew it, princess silver decided to save me."

Miko stood up to vehemently protest. "She didn't do it for the glory or to rub it in your face, Kanagura-san!"

Jin was taken aback by the blonde's yell. "What? I mean – she's always been saving us but I think she's the one who's going to need saving sooner or later."

The blonde didn't quite understand what Jin meant but she too felt something that was wrong with their buchou. She always contained her inner self and never revealed her feelings to others. But somehow, he saw this flicker in her eyes saying that she showed something to someone. She had a confidante now; someone whom they didn't know about. Her smile seemed to be truthful and her smiles got wider and wider every moment they've spent. Their fight, when their blades had collided, Jin felt something more sincere. Something more powerful than ever and this is what frustrated him.

A wry smile passed on his lips while he watched the sky glow in its happy blue colour.

Jin tried to move but realized on how heavy his body felt. They felt that they were loaded with metal and his head felt so light that he could almost collapse due to exhaustion. There was something indeed wrong with his body but he couldn't tell what. "Damn, I feel so… weak," he muttered while closing his eyes.

However, deep in his mind, he didn't just see darkness; he saw something else. Six bright lights shining around him and in front of him was a young woman. She had long hair and her laugh was melodic to his ears. She had long orange coloured hair while she stood innocently in front of him.

He was definitely sure he had seen Orihime. Her eyes sparkled with something that he had hoped to see in the eyes of others.

Hope. Hope to win the war.

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Reika on the other hand was getting frustrated. "Tell me," She whined while slamming her table, "where is the rose from!?"

Diva could only lean back with a small laugh and a faint smile. "I'm sorry. But – I cannot tell you."

"Why not," shrieked the tangerine haired lieutenant while she continuously began throwing a tantrum while the captain of the Execution Squad laughed casually at the scene.

Shana couldn't help but roll back in laughter at how Diva manipulated this entire situation. Her silver eyes were full of mirth now and the lavenderette could see that Diva's personality had changed. From the strict and lifeless buchou they had years back, she slowly gained this new lustre and her smile seemed to have returned and so did some of her emotions. Her emotions and gestures were livelier and exposed now, she no longer had that fake serene smile that she wore. It seemed like someone had opened her heart but no one knew who.

"Yoo-hoo," called a voice outside while they all saw strawberry blonde hair hung loosely from the door when they saw two bright blue orbs peeking inside.

Diva laughed lightly. "Matsumoto-san, please come in."

The lieutenant of squad ten made her entrance with a big cheeky grin. "So," –her voice sounding innocent, "who was," her sentence was cut short when she noticed a delicately placed flower in Diva's hair. A frosted rose perched perfectly on her hair and Matsumoto couldn't help but squeal like a rabid fan girl who had seen her crush kiss her. "HE DID IT! HE DID IT! HE DID IT," she chanted automatically.

The tensai of the Execution Squad began exchanging glances with them for she was totally clueless upon whom Matsumoto was talking about. "Who are you talking about? Who? Tell me!"

Matsumoto had a wide smile while she noticed that Diva's face once again became stoic. "No word out of you."

The strawberry blonde lieutenant backed off while the silver haired princess looked at the tangerine haired girl who was pulling her hair out in total frustration. Matsumoto never knew that Diva somehow had a sadistic side to herself. But she had to admit – she had quite the leadership seeing that she managed to lead the team very well with minimal loss of blood and sometimes, they even came back without a scratch. Matsumoto smiled inwardly at herself while she witnessed the silver haired buchou and third seat keep her cool in front of her teammates who were begging for some information. The latter seemed to keep her angelic smile while the other two were being driven crazy by that simple thing.

"Buchou," a voice of a terrified and mocking hurt blonde rang in loudly, "Jin-senpai's being mean again!"

Diva sighed quietly to herself while she stood up and headed for the confinement room where Jin was being held for his treatment and for his punishment. When she found her way in, Diva changed her expression to stoic. Jin wasn't really the type to have pleasure or even know that someone was sympathizing with him or even feeling bad for him. "How are you feeling?"

The brunette gave her a smug look. "Ouji-sama is always ready for a challenge. This matter is rather, too trivial for his liking."

Diva knew that kind of reply; that was too typical for Jin. "You should be more careful with the energy you release Jin. I know that you're the berserker type fighter but that doesn't mean that you have to hurl your power all over the place. What you did could cause a huge power flux that send Shinigami flying. I'm glad you had enough sanity in you to pull yourself back."

The fourth seat looked at her quizzically. "I pulled myself back…? What exactly are you talking about? What do you mean "I pulled myself back"? I pulled myself back from what?"

Diva's answer was nonchalant while she continued to walk away. "You pulled yourself back from your inner demon. Usually – it's a straight thing; there's no stopping and you would have just hollowified and turned into a hollow and might have needed to kill you. Luckily, your sanity and your sheer luck pulled you back. You're a lucky man, Kanagura."

A smug look appeared on the captive's face while he faced his female rival with his shifty brown eyes. "I have to stay alive after all, Fukurou," – a mischievous glint appeared in his eyes, "you know I would never accept any other rival except you so," –with a smirk he gave her a thumbs up, "You better stay alive, Fukurou. Also, I kinda noticed something – your face is quite bright today – what gives? You're not that stoic as you used to be. That aura of yours is slowly mellowing down. Who managed to penetrate your heart, miss heartless?"

Diva didn't show any shock that Jin had noticed but her poker face remained in place. Her silver eyes stared beadily at him. "You should be careful about what you say, Kanagura. My social life is no concern to you. Why in the world are you so concerned about my life anyway?"

"Because," a huge smile appeared on Jin's lips while he looked at the silver haired princess, "not many people or rather – guys can get an expression from a stoic and social retard such as you. Boy, do you need to know how to socialize. They can really teach you a thing or two on how to mask your expressions. So, who's the lucky bastard that managed to make you smile more now?"

Diva turned away with her silver hair billowing behind her. "None of your concern," her reply was subtle and short.

A small laugh escaped his lips while he watched Diva leave the room with a stoic aura once more while the blonde sighed while watching her buchou's fleeting image. "Must you be an idiot every time you speak to buchou?"

Jin shrugged. "Not like she gives a crap now does she?"

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When the princess made her way into her room, she now found Hitsugaya standing against the wall; waiting for her. "Taichou, what are you doing here? Aren't you supposed to be in the squad barracks?"

Hitsugaya's emerald pools stared at the silver ones while a small smile had graced his lips. "It's nothing really – the paperwork wasn't as bad as before. I'm more worried about you, you suddenly just ran off like you sensed something. I didn't know you could pick up reiatsu readings of your teammates from that kind of range."

Diva bowed apologetically. "I'm sorry, taichou. No one would be able to stop Kanagura at that rate even if they tried their hardest. Kanagura's style is berserker style – he destroys anything that comes within his path and when he is assigned a target," –the image of Jin slaying something ruthlessly causes the silver haired princess to shudder, "he will not stop until he has destroyed his target. Usually –this style of play is only activated when he suffers extreme emotional pain or physical pain. It's not that easy for us to suppress either but the best way is actually just wait for his reiatsu to mellow down."

Hitsugaya looked at Diva's face while he gently traced a cut that he spotted. "Looks like something managed to slip past you."

The third seat's expression was first a raised eyebrow expression until she felt the place where Hitsugaya had traced his finger on. She smiled to assure him that everything was alright. "It's okay, let me just apply ointment to this," –she was about to walk past her captain until she felt someone hug her. She found her chin resting on his shoulder while his arms were securely wrapped around her. "Diva, doesn't it hurt?"

Diva didn't know what her captain was getting at now. "What? Oh, you mean my wounds? Taichou, it's nothing. Shinigami get hurt a lot and it's quite normal to go through a lot of physical pain."

Hitsugaya looked deep into her eyes while stating seriously. "I didn't mean that, idiot."

The silver haired princess felt her body stiffen at his words; he could see through her completely and she never realized it. She had been trying to conceal herself all this time while Hitsugaya was looking through like a piece of glass. "Your effort to conceal," –Hitsugaya stated slowly, "just gave me more room to see through you. Diva, you don't need to conceal whatever you suffer. It's not an act of cowardice when you show it. Courage is something that you gain when you face something that you fear not when you're all confident and brave."

Diva couldn't help but feel something slipping away from her eyes. Something really salty yet it felt so good deep down to release. Her grip tightened on his haori while Hitsugaya slowly began to smile. Not in any devious way but the fact that this girl opened another side of him; he could feel that and this side of him was very special since only his grandmother, Momo and Diva had seen it. She found her way in and he found his way into hers. He hated what he saw that day. He couldn't help but feel infuriated at Aizen and their current ruler now. There was so much corruption and it was no surprise why Soul Society is in the dumps.

"Taichou, you did teach me something today," a muffled voice came from behind him.

Hitsugaya looked at her while a small smile appeared on her lips and this one was very genuine. "You taught me that even tears could flow from these expressionless silver eyes."

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Byakuya on the other hand was in the sixth squad waiting for Miko since she happened to be his all-time favorite companion. The sixth division captain happened to finish his paper work early which is why he is wondering where his clueless naïve blonde fifth seat of an escort went off to? He remembered her stating something about reiatsu becoming very erratic and he himself sensed it. If so, why didn't he go with her? He was starting to get all these weird questions popping through his head and he didn't even know why.

A voice suddenly mocked him from behind. _"Maybe it's because you like her ne, Byakuya-kun?"_

He knew that sadistic tone so well and he could've sworn that he saw a "turtle" smile on his zanpakuto's face. "Senbonzakura, will you please stop pestering me about my love life?"

"_Why,"_ purred the petal based zanpakuto, _"it's cute though but seriously – you are still running in circles. Can't you just admit it to yourself _**FIRST** _that you're in love with the dear girl? I mean, I know you're being all faithful and all to your wife but don't you think it's about time you let her go. You know – there is something called induced bound when a ghost cannot move on because of something in this world that will not let it go? Byakuya, Hisana and you cannot move on because you've bound each other. You bound her and now, she's bound to you. Plain and simple," _Senbonzakura's voice got more serious after that statement.

Byakuya remained quiet after that; Senbonzakura seemed to have a point because he started looking at it logically. Somehow, his zanpakuto did have a point because of his iron grip on her, she can't move on and as far as they were concerned; they were both stuck in the past. Naturally, Hisana would have moved on but now Byakuya felt somewhat responsible for holding Hisana in her place and he knew that he had to let her go somehow or in some way.

But, he found it quite hard to let go of her.

Miko was the only reminiscing memory he had of Hisana because they found her together. He remembered that day when he found her; Miko was just this innocent little girl who had forgotten her name. She was enrolled later into the Shinigami Academy after much of Hisana's pleading and that's when he also chose to teach her a thing or two. She learned in her own little way and eventually became a defensive fighter. She was the only one who understood his pain after Hisana's death. He remembered many times that he had given the cold shoulder. What was he thinking?

"_You were thinking of ways on how to disguise your pain,"_ Senbonzakura stated as a matter of factly,"_you were scared to show Miko that you were weak. You wanted to stay strong but that girl could see past you, my dear Byakuya-kun. Her naivety is a sign that she could see what you've concealed in your eyes. Why do you think she's always been there for you no matter how many times you have tossed me at her? How many times have you shot Bakudo spells at her? Most of all – why do you think she became the fuku buchou of the Execution Squad?"_

The sixth division captain felt at a loss upon what to say because Senbonzakura did have point. Sometimes, Senbonzakura just had to have a point. "I guess," –he paused for a moment; "you do have a point. But do you have any other idea on how to divulge feelings to someone you've known for so long? It might even cause the relationship to deteriorate."

"_Don't be afraid to show what you feel," _–the pink zanpakuto let out a defeated sigh, _"I don't want you becoming a grandpa statue. Neither do I want you to become a walking ice glacier or a puppet without a will. You have feelings too, Byakuya," _–it was rare for the zanpakuto to call the noble by the first name without the suffix; this meant, she was dead serious, _"just because you are captain, it does not mean that you have to chuck all your emotions out the window like some idiot. Also, think about it – what do you want to protect? Isn't she the first thing that comes into your mind? But what can I do? You never listen to me anyway," _Senbonzakura put a hint of annoyance in her voice.

Byakuya stared at the pink cherry blossoms that were falling weakly on to the ground. Miko was always the one to clean up the petals that fell in front of the lawn of the sixth squad. He remembered that she suddenly dashed off saying something about helping Diva again. She always ran towards the aid of others most especially to her captain and even to her younger teammates like Shana and also to the unstable ones like Jin and Reika. Miko truly had inherited the title of being the Mother of the Execution Squad; she always showed concern and worry towards them.

"_That's her most appealing personality, Byakuya-kun,"_ snickered the pink zanpakuto, _"you should remember Miko's obliviousness and innocuousness also contributes to her worry of others. For all you know, she'll even grow white hair before you because of the way she worries. She's not even five hundred years old yet heck; she's barely even two hundred! Someone stop that poor girl!"_

Byakuya sighed while he stood up to go find Miko again until he saw the blonde come in with a smile. "Dozo gomenasai, Kuchiki-sama! I had to go help Jin-senpai control his reiatsu and well, Fukurou-buchou got badly hurt so I had to make sure she was okay, Kuchiki-sama! Is there anything you need, is there anything you might need help with," Miko then began ranting on with if there's anything that must be done.

The sixth division captain smiled inwardly at himself and put his hand on her shoulder. "Shougetsu, enough."

Miko looked at her towering taichou and lowered her head in embarrassment. "I'm sorry, Kuchiki-sama."

Byakuya couldn't help but find her adorable when she looked so embarrassed. "Kuchiki-sama," –he heard her swallowing hard, "is it possible that I can ask you a favour," her small voice peeped from below him. The black haired captain looked down when she started twiddling with her thumbs. "Is it possible that… you can… address me as Miko-san instead? You can do that if you want to, you don't really need to," she started stuttering and fumbling with her words.

The sixth division captain felt a chuckle bubble at his throat. "I'd be honored, Miko-san," it's a start, he thought; rather than going nowhere at all in a one sided relationship.

Miko's smile appeared gleefully while Byakuya walked towards the door with a faint smile appearing on his lips. "Let's go for a walk, Miko. Perhaps, it's good exercise."

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Shana on the other hand was taking a walk in Karakura Town. She had some permission from Captain Unohana and at the same time, she needed to run a few errands anyway. The lavender haired Quincy Shinigami walked towards a very familiar clinic that was down the road. She needed a couple of medicines anyway and the last remaining Quincies begrudgingly offered their help due to a little convincing and begging from the Quincy and the half Quincy-Shinigami. Cautiously moving towards the door, she knocked gently. "Hello?"

No answer.

Shana was getting a little jittery by standing directly in front of the door. Today was her training session with Uryuu Ishida but she couldn't help but feel nervous. It should be like those other training sessions she's had with Diva right?

Right?

WRONG.

Shana felt more nervous around him. She couldn't believe that she was feeling on this heat rushing up to her face and she didn't even understand why. "Why am I feeling like this? Why am I being so nervous in something so trivial?"

"You okay, Hoshikaze-san," a voice asked behind the door.

Shana jumped at the sound of the voice and found Uryuu standing there in his Quincy clothes already. His bow materialized as he put it on his back while he nodded. "Shall we go, Hoshikaze-san?"

The lavenderette couldn't help but ogle at the sight of Uryuu in front of her. His Quincy uniform was slightly unbuttoned and his dark hair reflected off the white light that made his features a lot softer than usual. Shana fought her urge to blush and squeal at the sight of the Quincy who was now her trainer to control her Quincy like abilities. "Yeah!"

She didn't want to wear her Shinigami uniform since she remembered that her trainer hated Shinigami but then, she had forgotten one thing: If he had hated Shinigami so much, why offer to train someone who was half Shinigami? That question alone bugged her and she hoped to understand more about the Quincy race because this would teach her more about herself. "Ishida-sensei," Shana began softly.

"Please," Uryuu cut in quickly, "call me Uryuu-san. Why do you have to be so formal?"

"Well," Shana at first was at a loss from what to say, "You're my sensei and it's best that I keep it formal since we barely know each other, right?"

Uryuu rolled his eyes. "But you're a kid and you're making me look old, I suggest you don't," his tone was simple and flat.

Shana couldn't help but nod numbly at his reply. But she felt something else with him, she just hoped it was nothing dangerous.

-That's chapter 18! Please review!


	19. The Tournament

(I don't own Bleach!)

Chapter 19 – Tournament

Shana returned home and waited at a meeting place that the Execution Squad called "theirs". It was like a small garden at the back of the Sixth Squad since it was quite huge and Miko volunteered it since she was the one in charge in cleaning that part of the Sixth Squad. She leaned against the tree while she closed her eyes to remember her training with Uryuu. His fluid movements, his non-wastage of energy, it simply just captivated her and she didn't understand how that exactly happened. The lavenderette looked into the sky. "What exactly is this feeling? Does everyone get feelings like this? Why do I sound so dense?"

"That's because love is quite a troubling emotion," sniggered a voice.

Shana didn't need to be a rocket genius to figure out who had sniggered behind her. "Shut up Jin-gaki!"

The brunette pouted while twitching at the younger Shinigami. "You should know how to treat your senpai with respect you know!"

"Yada," Shana's answer came out simple and flat, "Zettai yada."

Jin grabbed her and started giving her a noogie. "Why I oughta…!"

"Uwaaah," Shana started whining, "You're mean! I'll only start calling you senpai when you ACTUALLY act like one!"

Jin let out an annoyed growl while he took a seat next to the kohai. She and he leaned against the same tree thinking for a moment. There was an uncomfortable silence in between them and somehow, they only realized later that they were stumped by the same thing. "Oi, Jin," Shana called suddenly, "who are you thinking about?"

The fourth seat brunette raised an eyebrow. "Why the hell should I tell you, gaki," he growled until he decided to tell her, "fine, I'm only telling you because you usually don't give a rat's ass, plum brain," –earning himself a glare from the Quincy Shinigami, "There's this really pretty girl in Karakura, sure she's oblivious but she's got her days. She's pretty strong too," Jin then looked at the sky with a smile, "she has this cool ability that not even the fourth division has and I have no idea how I will tell her that I like her," his voice becoming more solemn, "somehow, if I do tell her, that's going to strain the relationship between Soul Society and the Living Realm. Don't you think it will be a bit odd for a Shinigami to date a human?"

Shana bit her lip at his comment; it did seem a little wrong seeing that she also liked someone who was human. The bespectacled Quincy who was now her mentor but she wasn't sure what her feelings were: was it idolism or was it romance? She shuddered at the other thought that had entered her mind. This is what happens when someone from the fourth squad begins to read porn magazines from the human world. "I wonder if my situation is a lot more distorted then," she said while sounding a little miffed.

Jin raised an eyebrow while Shana shrugged. "Well, could be idolism for all I know."

The brunette then picked a reed and put it in his mouth like a hill Billy while he watched the clouds pass by. "How troublesome…"

Shana and Jin lay against the tree in total silence until they heard someone yelling. "Buchou~, tell me!"

"No," the stoic reply came out stern and firm.

Another voice laughed. "No matter how many times you will pester buchou, she will never tell you, Yuchizawa-senpai."

Jin sat up only to see a slightly smirking Diva-buchou, a laughing fifth seat Miko and a frustrated thirteenth squad lieutenant Yuchizawa Reika. "So, she never told you who melted her now, did she?"

Reika let out a frustrated "Hmph" and took a seat near Shana who happened to napping under the cherry blossom tree. Diva took her usual seat near the honeysuckle bush that happened to be nearby while Miko sat amongst the swaying pampas grass while Jin remained leaning against the willow tree. "So, what do we do now, Fukurou," Jin was definitely looking for a plan while throwing his arms behind his head, "I mean – Aizen would just attack us again while we're sitting ducks you know."

Diva was very calm despite the situation; it was true. They were sitting ducks as long as they didn't make any moves but that last fight took a heavy toll on them. They weren't even sure whether or not they should make another move or should they lie in and wait for their prey? Lying in and waiting would have sounded okay if only Aizen didn't expand his army and have the king's ability at his complete disposal. "We shouldn't be so hasty with our movements otherwise – they could catch us flat footed. I don't want us to get careless and therefore – we'll need to find a way how to destroy the center of his power."

Shana's eyes widened. "Does that mean we have to," –she gulped, "kill your uncle?"

Diva nodded. "I believe so. If Aizen loses his power source, he will no longer have any Arrancars to create. Also, we would be able to lessen the burden on the other Shinigami by taking out any additional forces. Kanagura, I know you're a berserker type fighter and also Reika but please be careful. Shougetsu and Kanagura, you two are the powerhouses of this team, I want you to find doubles partner as soon as you can so in case we get separated you know what to do. I on the other hand might have to function alone."

Miko shook her head vehemently. "Buchou, that's suicidal! You can't just march in alone!"

"I know," Diva stated calmly, "which is why we enter the place as a team first before we all make a mess. If any of the circumstances calls us to separate, then do so. But, it would be most discouraged to go off separately. If we're stuck together in one situation, I'd say that would be a better situation. If there will be any conflict with our strategy, the best thing we can do is integrate it into theirs so that there won't be so much conflict and there won't be a problem. I know that Kuchiki-taichou and maybe even sou-taichou might have some disagreements but we still can't just sit here and do nothing. Now, I want everyone to master a kidou spell. It's a spell that works as a connection between all of us so that we won't get lost nor will we lose touch with each other."

Reika's eyebrows went up at the sound of that. "There's a kidou that works as a connection between all of us? What's that?"

Diva closed her eyes while she began writing things on her arm. "Hadou Thirty Two," –she then began to emit a bright white glow while focusing her reiryouku onto her arm, "Written Wind."

Soon, characters appeared on their arms and Miko gleefully smiled. "Wow, this is useful! How did you manage to transfer it to us?"

The silver haired third seat simply stated. "It's just a matter of singling out which spiritual pressure belongs to whom in Soul Society. But because you're all here in one area – it was easier for me to relay the message towards you guys. So, the farther the range, the harder it is to send a message. Also," –her smile becoming more wistful, "there's a spell I'm going to teach you and it's going to be quite complicated because this will drain much of your reiryouku if you don't control it correctly," –closing her eyes, "this is originally a forbidden spell. No one can use it except those within the royal family. This is what I call: Hadou Two Fifty, Dimension Slasher."

A huge gaping hole that looked like the Senkaimon appeared and Diva explained to the astounded team. "This kidou is a spell that allows people to travel between dimensions and therefore allows anyone to poof up anywhere they want. However, if not controlled, you will lose a heavy amount of spiritual energy possibly killing you or you might end up inside a wall and never be able to phase out again. That's why – this spell is a last resort spell. It's a spell to use in case you want to escape. I'm sure you also know the Hadou Five which is the Spirit Caller. I want you four to practice that, I need to discuss something with my taichou before we do anything rash."

Reika however had somehow figured out who gave the rose. "Are you referring to your taichou or your boyfriend?"

The silver haired claymore wielding princess halted in her steps when she turned to face the lieutenant with a stony glare that could send her six feet under. "I don't have a boyfriend, Yuchizawa."

The tangerine haired prodigy twirled her tendrils with an innocent smile while drawing out her scythe to begin her practice session. "Yeah, yeah, keep lying to yourself, Fukurou. I happen to be able to look through your eyes and know what you're hiding."

Diva didn't say anything anymore while she continued to walk away from a prodding Reika. Anything was worse than that. "I need an aspirin soon," the silver haired princess sighed mentally to herself.

Miko watched her leave while she clapped her hands in delight. "Okay, practice time or its laps for all of you!"

The tangerine haired vice captain rolled her eyes. "Since when did you give us laps? You can scare people with your motherly concern alone," –she smirked while stifling her fits of laughter.

The blonde pouted while blowing out a raspberry. "Kill joy."

"Worrier," Reika spat back at the comment.

"Battle addict," the blonde shot back.

"That's Kanagura-gaki's title, not mine," the tensai smirked seeing that she was winning this battle while earning a glare from the Eleventh Squad's fourth seat brunette.

The blonde fifth seat of the sixth squad rolled her eyes. "Maa~, just do it. You made me say that, your fault."

Shana had already begun her training and practice while Jin was getting all frustrated again over one simple kidou spell. No one understood how he even managed to graduate despite his poor spiritual energy control abilities. Shana was quite understandable; after being under Uryuu for quite awhile, she had to learn how to control her spiritual energy again like a Shinigami because being a Quincy and Shinigami had two different styles. She had to learn how to fuse the styles or shift them instantaneously in battle otherwise; she would lose offensive power and give the opponent enough time to strike. Miko had full control over her reiatsu if it wasn't an offensive spell. Like what Kuchiki-taichou had said, she would barely be able to raise her finger against a fly or a weaker level hollow and the blonde was more than just determined to prove him wrong. Reika remembered what Ukitake said however and that was the one thing that kept bothering her.

"_Because I don't want you to end up like Kaien."_

The words echoed softly in her mind; who was this Kaien person they were talking about? She remembered that the thirteenth squad never had a lieutenant until she came along. She wanted to know who this man was but he seemed to be an awfully important person in the squad. However, she wasn't sure if that was his only reason but she also noticed a faint appearance of colour in his cheeks. "Kaien, the name sounds familiar. I think it's because he was the former lieutenant? But, what exactly happened to him? He sounds really important, whoever the guy is. Though," –she stopped her swings for a moment and closed her eyes, "why do I feel this way? When he expressed concern, my heart jumped. It's normal for a captain to express concern towards a subordinate. So," Reika was getting even more flustered, "why am I feeling a little disappointed and happy at the same time?"

"_Maybe it's because you like him in another way, Reika," _a thickly kansai accented voice sounded off in her mind.

"Shut up, Shukketsu," she growled at her zanpakuto, "that's stupid and you know that."

Reika could've sworn that she could see her zanpakuto's triumphant smirk in the back of her mind._ "You may not want to admit it but you do find the presence of the man quite assuring, don't you?" _

The tangerine haired girl would have slaughtered her zanpakuto in an instant if she hadn't stopped to think. "Do I really think of him that way?"

"_Everyone's scared to try and understand things they cannot explain,"_ Shukketsu said with his kansai drawl, _"you know, tensai or not, you're still just a Shinigami, you crazy girl. Being a tensai at almost everything doesn't mean that you're different from others. Get a grip, Reika-chan. You should know by now that the mind of a human being is capable of accepting the illogical as well. You're beginning to sound like Diva you know that. Shukumei even took hours trying to get the girl to accept her feelings towards her captain and also to not keel over in shock when the captain had confessed, you ignorant twit."_

Reika fumed at his insult. "Hey watch it," –then she realized that he had said something, "wait, rewind. What did you say?"

"_You ignorant twit,"_ Shukketsu repeated; not understanding what Reika was getting to.

The tangerine haired lieutenant snapped. "No, the thing you said before that, what was it!"

Shukketsu decided to tease her some more. _"Confessed?"_

The zanpakuto could feel Reika's energy surging out of anger. "Do you want me to shred you into a little shrub, boy?"

"_Okay, okay,_" Shukketsu sighed; she didn't really like taking jokes,_ "her captain confessed to her, you moron. And for your information, I'm not an easy plant to shred."_

Reika growled. "Oh believe me, I have my ways. Your kansai dialect is beginning to annoy me, boy."

"_Stop calling me "boy", gaki," _he snarled.

This time, it was the tensai who was having fun when she heard him losing his temper. "Really, boy," –this time she accented her tone with a little bit of European, "you're starting to get on my nerves."

"_Che, then I'll stick to my kansai dialect if you won't stop calling me "boy", gaki,"_ he huffed in total annoyance.

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Diva headed towards the tenth division quietly when she saw Matsumoto sleeping again. The silver haired princess cold only sigh; Matsumoto was reliable in combat but in paperwork, leave it to Matsumoto to leave her high and dry. There was a whole stack of paper work to be done and she knew that Hitsugaya would throw a fit if he found Matsumoto slacking on paperwork again. Picking up the ten chemistry and trigonometry books thick stacks of paper work, Diva set them on her table and began doing it for Matsumoto again. Well, she understood that Matsumoto easily became bored with things like this but to Hitsugaya, wasn't that a little bit wrong? 

"Diva," a soft voice came from in front of her.

The silver haired third seat and buchou looked up to see Hitsugaya's disapproving look. "You shouldn't keep doing things for Matsumoto. Preferably, I'd rather not have you do it at all. She would have more reason to slack and would always get you to do it."

Smiling sheepishly, the silver haired princess shrugged in reply. "Well, someone does have to get all of this done, right, taichou?"

Hitsugaya sighed; she did have a point. Besides, how could he say no to those bright silver eyes that were looking at him intently? "I guess you're right. But," –he made sure he had a note of finality when he stated this, "I'm only asking you to do one fourth of that. Not a paper more and not a paper less."

Diva, glad that he had allowed her to help Matsumoto quickly complied and set off to work. "Hai, Hitsugaya-taichou."

The moment he heard "taichou", his eyebrows furrowed. "Diva, what did I tell you to call me?"

The silver haired girl blushed at the sight of her taichou when she quietly spoke. "Toushiro."

A smile appeared on his face while he took some of the paper work and began helping her do it. "Diva, tell me: what are you going to do when this is over?"

The silver haired buchou of the Execution Squad shrugged. "I haven't given much though to that really," admitting meekly, she mournfully smiled at the paper, "I don't want to go back to that realm either. I never asked to be a part of royalty. I just wanted to have a happy family with my mom and dad but, they're both gone with my brother."

"Nor did I ask to be a captain," Hitsugaya sighed sadly while thinking, "once she becomes queen, all we'll be doing is nodding in acknowledgement and nothing more. But," –his eyes focused on her figure while he sensed her focus and uneasiness at the topic, "I want her more than that. Isn't there a loophole to all these laws?"

"This talk is getting depressing you know," they heard a slurred voice from the couch and it didn't take long for Hitsugaya to pop a vein at the person. "MATSUMOTO RANGIKU, GET YOUR BUTT UP AND START DOING THIS PAPER WORK HERE. YOU'RE JUST LYING THERE ANYWAY," his tone came out very icy at the sluggish and sleepy strawberry blonde haired lieutenant.

Matsumoto stood up while she sluggishly and begrudgingly dragged herself to her desk and began whining. "Taichou," while picking up her brush, "do I have to?"

Hitsugaya chose to ignore Matsumoto's useless whining while Diva sighed with a cheerful smile. "Don't worry Matsumoto; it's not that much anymore anyway. After that, you can have a break."

The strawberry blonde's eyes brightened immediately at the word "break". "Really? I'm so glad," she hugged Diva affectionately; "you're not a slave driver! You're so sweet and I hope you can somehow make my taichou stop being such a slave driver and make him lighten up a little!"

Hitsugaya cast a withering glare at the strawberry blonde but then his rage melted all away when he saw Diva smiling sheepishly; she just looked so beautiful in his eyes. His angel, smiling, that was all he wanted right now. This was one more thing he wanted to protect. "All I want," –he thought while smiling inwardly at himself, "is to protect her smile and make sure, she gets to live her life the way she wants it. No strings attached."

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Ukitake decided to take a look at her resume. Reika happened to be the daughter of Yuchizawa Keigo who was quite the Shinigami. He held no limits to his skill and was quite the leader; he led his team against many Vastrolordes and Adjucas to the point that he was named "Executioner". "I guess this is where her title is derived from," Ukitake thought quietly.

"_Indeed," _Sougyo no Kotowari then began to see the resume through Ukitake's eyes, _"he's quite the man. She seems to have taken after him but how did she inherit such beastly qualities?"_

That was another thing Ukitake didn't understand. Reika seemed like such a kind girl except when her anger was directed at him or anyone for that matter however, he saw it again during part of the Winter War. She started growing fangs and veins bulged at her temples. Her body emitted such an evil force that it forced the supreme commander, Yamamoto to exert more effort. In doing so, he had let Shana loose. Jin was no easy force to stop either but Reika had taken much of his effort and so did the princess and the blonde. "So, her beastly appearance, what made her get it?"

"_I believe," _Sougyo no Kotowari pointed out, _"you should look at her mother's name. Perhaps that can give you some answers."_

Ukitake scanned through the papers until he found his eyes widening every minute. "Her mother was…?"

"_Indeed, her mother was a herald from hell. She served under the Queen of Hell and made sure that whatever had passed through gates, stayed in hell," _Sougyo no Kotowari shuddered at the thought of the herald, _"her mother, nicknamed the Chinurareta no Sayaka, was by no means merciful. She slew whatever opponent had dared to cross her. She had never lost a match until that man appeared."_

Ukitake knew very well who that was. "Yuchizawa Keigo, am I right?"

"_Yes, Yuchizawa Keigo at that time had become an ambassador," _Sougyo no Kotowari added ruefully, _"she first engaged him in a fight until he took her down effortlessly. Again and again, she challenged him for a rematch but he had adamantly refused. The man was a believer of peace and would use any means to achieve it as long as it meant by using the correct methods. Soon, she lost her will to destroy and it changed her into a Shinigami. Originally, she was a Vastrolorde of abominable power. While we call Shinigami that have unlocked hollow powers as Vizards, hollow to Shinigami is something they call Revolvists. She became a Revolvist and got married to Yuchizawa Keigo and then, they had baby Reika. Nice story isn't it?"_

Ukitake nodded slowly. "So, where are they now?"

"_Like what our king," _the zanpakuto bristled at the term "king", _"had said, they had turned into arrancar. He had them killed because he had placed them in the front line together with a Quincy and a Shinigami which we know are the parents of Hoshikaze Shana. They were led by Fukurou Ren who is Diva's father. The five were tricked all by the same man all because he wanted power for himself. Also, Ukitake, I'd like to ask: how do you feel about your lieutenant?"_

Ukitake's expression then became quizzical. "What do you mean?"

"_Did you tell her that you like her," _Sougyo no Kotowari fired at him.

"Yes," Ukitake answered without knowing where this entire conversation was going.

The zanpakuto sighed. _"I didn't mean in that way, you dolt," _–Ukitake was surprised that Sougyo no Kotowari had insulted him, _"I mean – did you tell her that you __**like **__her," _while the zanpakuto put more emphasis on the word "like".

Ukitake was about to say "yes" until he stopped himself. "No, I haven't."

Sougyo no Kotowari, now glad that Ukitake was accepting the fact, smirked while he continued to prod. "Well, you're not the only one who thinks she's pretty you know. We all have eyes."

Ukitake for the very first time felt jealousy. He did not like the sound of that. "Sougyo, please refrain from angering me. Otherwise, I will do something to you."

"Kira thinks she's cute," Sougyo had remarked off handedly, "I wouldn't be surprised that if someone more straight forward got to her. Kira has more confidence than you when it comes to things like this," the zanpakuto knew exactly which buttons to push, "especially, when he's drunk."

The white haired thirteenth squad captain was about to say something until a hell butterfly came in and started making a loud noise. "The tournament will now begin! Each squad must have three team members! I repeat – every squad must have at least three team members!"

Ukitake wasn't sure what to do since he knew his limitations. Kiyone and Sentaro could enter with Reika but he was afraid that they won't be able to control her power the way he did. So, he decided to enter with a three man team consisting of himself, Reika and Rukia. "Kuchiki Rukia, Yuchizawa Reika, can you please come here?"

The two appeared in no time at all and Ukitake let out a breath of acceptance. "So, I take it you heard the loud alarm?"

Reika nodded while drawing out her scythe. "Mm-hm, I'm ready."

Rukia had a wide smile on her face while Ukitake smiled. "Alright. We should get started then."

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Byakuya who had also heard the loud alarm placed the paperwork carefully back into the drawers while Renji was getting all excited about the tournament. Well, he did expect that of Renji; his lieutenant after all once belonged to the Eleventh Division of Kenpachi Zaraki. "Hey, are we done, taichou?"

The sixth division captain twitched at Renji's rude address; he was pretty much aware of Renji's often rudeness towards him. "You should be the one doing this."

Renji then remembered it was his job and sheepishly smiled. "Oops, sorry, taichou."

This gave the sixth division captain to stand up from his desk and check on the fifth seat of his division. She was polishing her whistle and then, a black cat appeared and began brushing itself against her leg. "Aww, you're so cute, Fukitsu-chan," she giggled while the cat chose to purr in agreement.

Byakuya twitched at the cat and didn't know what to say. What if Senbonzakura was right to begin with? Why was he so jealous by the affection given to her by a cat of all things? He shook his head to take out those useless thoughts while clearing his throat. "Miko-san, are you ready?"

The blonde nodded cheekily. "Yes, Kuchiki-sama."

The young Kuchiki wanted to tell her to drop the "-sama" but somehow, he felt that the elders wouldn't agree with it. So, he felt it was best that he left it at that first. "Alright," with his captain's haori billowing behind him, he walked towards the door, "We should go."

All squads formed at the first division barracks. Funny thing is – the fourth squad had chosen to join with a team consisting of Shana, since she was the only one with a very offensive zanpakuto, Isane Kotetsu and even Unohana decided to join. However, the Eleventh Division had a feeling that the fourth division would be the first one to be kicked out.

"Fellow Shinigami," a loud voice exploded into the air which everyone knew that it belonged to Yamamoto, "I know that you are all exhausted but this is a way of training yourselves for the upcoming battle. Each team will have to win at least two out of three matches against the other squads. Those who pass will then enter the semi-finals and so on and so forth. You may now," –raising his zanpakuto, Ryuujin Jakka into the air, "BEGIN!"

A huge flame shot into the air and the squads cheered in excitement. Let the tournament begin!

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The first one who had found their opponent was the Eleventh Division and the Third Division. The Eleventh Division was consisted of Zaraki Kenpachi, Kusajishi Yachiru and Kanagura Jin while the third division consisted of Amagai Shuusuke, Izuru Kira and Hogumo Kusaka. Jin smirked while drawing out his zanpakuto. "Alright, this is gonna get good!"

Yachiru squealed. "GO GET 'EM, KEN-CHAN! CHOCO-CHAN!"

Jin twitched at his nickname. "Ouji-sama's nickname is not "Choco-chan"!"

Kira sighed while drawing out his zanpakuto. "Can we get this over with?"

Jin shrugged. "Sure, hope you don't mind dying a slow and painful death."

The brunette rushed towards Kira while attacking in rapid succession. If anyone didn't know any better, they would have thought that Jin was a captain. However, the brunette's mind wasn't completely on the battle. He was remembering the words of the buchou before while he was contained in the Confinement cell in the fourth division. Those words rang constantly in his head and frankly, he was quite frustrated and flustered by her words.

"_You should be more careful with the energy you release, Kanagura. I know that you're the berserker type fighter but that doesn't mean that you have to hurl your power all over the place. What you did could cause a huge power flux that send Shinigami flying. I'm glad you had enough sanity in you to pull yourself back."_

Jin then decided to put more strategy into his attacks. "I won't let that demon control me again! I will fight on my own terms! This battle will be won by ouji-sama!"

His hatchet axe clashed with Hogumo Kusaka's zanpakuto and emitting a deadly aura, Jin managed to smirk. "Ouji-sama no bigi ni yoina!"

The blade started creating a violent vacuum which forced Hogumo to stay in one place. Yachiru was having fun dissing off Kira while Amagai had avoided Kenpachi's rampaging attacks. There was no way that the Third Squad could win against such violent people. Or was there?

"Tachikire," The third captain mumbled, "Raika!"

Jin snorted while swinging his hatchet axe in a patterned fashion. "Damn it, you're dead asshole! Slash, Eikochouchin!"

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The tenth division however never realized that their competitor would be the Second Division. Soi Fon stood there smugly. "Can you keep up?"

Diva put her hand on her hilt while Hitsugaya positioned himself for an attack while openly taunting her. "Come and get me."

The second division captain snapped her fingers while her third seat, Choubana Noeru made her way towards the captain. However, she was easily put down by Diva who was the valedictorian in her batch. "You're fast, Choubana-san. You're not slow; I'm just faster than you."

Diva knew Noeru inside out since they were such good friends and Noeru wasn't exactly stupid either. Soi Fon on the other hand took the pleasure in trying to kick Hitsugaya's ass while Omaeda tried to take down Matsumoto who was more than willing to chop down the big lunk head. Soi Fon's kicks were rapid but Hitsugaya, being small manages to dodge and make most of his time. "Souten ni zase, Hyourinmaru!"

A huge ice dragon flies from his sword and Soi Fon jumps on buildings to avoid it. Omaeda was busy swinging his morning star and made sure that Matsumoto got hit however; Haineko's slicing prowess had taken off the spikes quite easily. "Do you think you can beat me at that level, Omaeda?"

This was the very first time for Noeru to face the valedictorian for she was only number ten in the academy. However, her speed made up for her lack of experience. Diva however quickly surpassed her by using only the third counter and simple sword strikes. "You're going to be strong, Choubana-san. Believe me; I can see it in your eyes."

-That's Chapter 19! Please review!


	20. Second Wave

(I don't own Bleach!)

Chapter 20 – Second Wave

Miko, Renji and Byakuya faced off with the infamous Squad Twelve of course with Mayuri Kurotsuchi, Nemu Kurotsuchi and Danzei Suzumi. Miko at first wasn't sure whether or not she should go on the offensive because she already had Captain Kuchiki and Vice Captain Abarai to cover up for her but deep down in her heart, she felt that there was something wrong. She didn't want to cower behind but she didn't want her relationship with Byakuya to go through a deadly howitzer haymaker when he discovers that his once meek and kind servant actually knew how to be brutal, cold and vindictive. Taking a look at her zanpakuto, Miko thought to herself. "What should I do?"

"I guess I'll be taking most of the fun," a voice cut in through her thoughts and she found Renji drawing out Zabimaru.

"I," the blonde didn't know what to say since she had Kuchiki Byakuya standing in front of her and he was quick to question what her motives were. Was she going to join the fight or what? That remained to be the only question in her mind. "Abarai-san," –she finally decided when she gained a look from the red haired vice captain, "don't hinder me," her tone having a note of finality and determination.

Renji didn't know what to say and she was thankful that Byakuya didn't hear her either because she sped past him while blowing her whistle with her shikai command. "Curse, Fukitsu Kage!"

A black cat appeared running alongside her until it changed into a black staff enamelled with gold. Miko's sapphire blue eyes centred themselves on Nemu Kurotsuchi while she swung her staff in a graceful pattern. "I hope you don't mind but I think I should kick your butt now," –the blonde smiled while Nemu chose to use bare hand combat against the fifth seat.

Kurotsuchi was delirious; he was collecting new data from who was supposedly known as the meek fifth seat of the sixth division. "Impressive! But I do hope that you manage to work a way out against Nemu! I want to run a couple of tests on you! You seem to be such a great specimen!"

Twitching somewhat at Kurotsuchi's comment, Byakuya drew his sword while analysed the battle carefully. "Abarai, did you teach her to run into battle like that like an idiot?"

Renji raised an eyebrow at him. "Why do you blame everything on me when something bad happens to her?"

The black haired sixth division captain stood quiet for a moment and then replied. "Because you're the only source of bad influence nearest to her," with this, he flash stepped and proceeded to go against Kurotsuchi without any hesitation.

Renji threw his hands up in the air while he followed. "Why do I get the small fry?"

Byakuya smiled inwardly at himself; he was actually thankful that Renji had taught Miko to have a back bone once in awhile. However, this was the first time he had seen her skills in combat. He saw her leap high into the air while she shot her staff down like a javelin thus disarming her opponent which was followed by her staff flying into the air coming back towards her while she had a smile on her face. "This is it; Hamutsu e no Warutsu!" (Waltz Towards Destruction)

The attack was very devastating for someone who was so used to defensive combat. Then again, Byakuya had a thought in his mind that contradicted that. "What if I was the one holding her back? Is that why, she never released her full potential when I was around? What did I do to make her hold back?"

"_Byakuya-kun, it's not your fault," _–firmly stated Senbonzakura while he fought, _"she's afraid that she will lose your trust and that's something she believes she worked hard for."_

Byakuya fell silent upon hearing Senbonzakura's words. He never realized that he was the thing that was holding her back. Did that mean Renji also know a thing or two about Miko's true abilities? If so, how long had she been using them? Since when did she get that strong? She was never quite the type to rush into battle recklessly either but she was fighting with strategy and grace. If this was Diva's way of training her then, he might as well thank her. Miko's style of combat somehow changed drastically from the last time he battled alongside her but at the back of his mind, he felt that she was still concealing something. What he noticed more was that she wasn't expelling any spiritual energy at all.

Renji noticed the gracefulness in her movements now; they were less rash and they had expelled even less energy than before. Even Byakuya was amazed that she had been training hard, she was very used to staying at the sidelines but somehow this time, she decided to play offense. She gave Nemu no chance to attack and made sure that her attacks made their way through. However, Nemu wasn't that discouraged either. "You're very strong, Shougetsu-san. Unfortunately, I cannot lose to you. I promised Master Mayuri that I would win."

"Then," a small smile appeared on the blonde's face, "play your heart out. Normally, I wouldn't even approve of fighting but somehow, if we're going to have to get stronger then we might as well get used to the strength of captains and somewhat. After all," –her staff clashed with Nemu's arm, "aren't the Arrancars fighting on the same level as a captain?"

Inwardly smiling, Nemu drew out her weapon. "Indeed."

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On Shana's end, they were going against the Eighth Division where Kyoraku Shinsui, Nanao Ise and Naneira Yuma were her opponents. Unohana wasn't the type of fighter but she was more than determined to somehow win the fight without people getting hurt too badly. Isane wasn't very sure of her combat skills either. "Shana-chan, please don't go so wild because," when the periwinkle haired lieutenant anxiously looked to her left, Shana was gone and she had already engaged her opponent in a berserker like fashion. Somehow, Isane had this feeling in her gut that Shana won't quit even if she has her left arm or any of her limbs missing. "Shana-chan, be careful!"

The lavenderette paid no heed to Isane's warning because arrows were flying more accurately than before. However, Shana felt greatly uncomfortable. "Why am I stuck in such a pacifist squad? Well, better than ending up with Captain Zaraki though. They're way too violent that they look like idiots. I mean – look how Jin-gaki came out. Even Third Squad would have been fine or the fifth but no! I had to end up in a squad who thinks violence is for drug addicts and for those who have nothing better to do! I wish Mama were here though," –she muttered, "she would easily take these guys in a few minutes although," she eyed Kyoraku who was just watching her fight Isane, "he feels weird. He has that feeling that makes you wanna cry…"

Shana dodged another attacking attempt by Nanao while she swept her off her feet and knocked the blade out of her hand. However, she did not expect the other Shinigami to hit her hard with kidou. Isane soon joined the battle a few minutes after. "Hold on Shana-chan, I'm coming!"

The Quincy Shinigami though flying back managed to string her bow. "Spread, Shinijikumaru!"

Pink arrows rained in the air while descending against the opposing party. Kyoraku however had a huge wind like attack which rendered her power useless. "Tut, tut, nice try though, Sha-chan. You look so cute when you bring out all those arrows. Why don't you run off and do something else instead of this?"

Feeling that he was patronizing her, Shana twitched while letting out a low growl. "I won't fail Mama, she's trained me so hard and now, I will show you what she's taught me!"

Shocked by the little girl's words, Isane looked towards her captain; asking for an explanation. "Captain Unohana?"

"She's definitely not referring to me," Unohana stated calmly, "she's referring to Diva. After all – the young princess did give the foundation of the Execution Squad. She's their pillar of support and Shana will accept no orders except if it's from her. She won't even follow anyone else higher than her if you didn't notice, Isane."

The periwinkle haired lieutenant nodded while Shana continued to do massive damage on the opposing squad. Nanao never realized that she would be easily outmatched by someone who was half her size but who could stop Shana? She was fighting like a berserker and whatever she wants to kill, better pretend it's dead if it wants to live. "Captain Kyoraku, what should we do?"

Kyoraku drew out his swords. "I'll handle Sha-chan okay? You can try battling Isane for awhile and you and your partner can try taking down Unohana okay? But I doubt Unohana and Isane will be much of a problem though because Shana's the one who poses the biggest threat since she's really vicious in attacking. So, you do your part, ne?"

Nanao nodded while drawing out her kodachi. "Alright, I'll do as you say."

Nanao wasn't sure at first but then, she managed to catch a glimpse of her captain's skills. More arrows flew but with a flick of his wrist, Kyoraku had easily rendered the arrows completely useless. Shana, annoyed that her attack had been stopped, decided to attack upon impulse. Attacking randomly may not be the best solution but it's better than doing nothing. Her eyes flashing with anger and annoyance, her arrow somehow gained some jagged edges. "Razor Dunk," –drawing her arrow far, she forced the captain into close range combat but she had forgotten that he was a captain after all and his level of skill was never really at par with hers. In fact, she underestimated him a little too much. "Sha-chan, you're attacking recklessly. It's a waste of energy, ne?"

Shana absolutely abhorred the fact that he had given her a nickname. "My nickname isn't Sha-chan!"

With more arrows flying and with her spiritual pressure getting more erratic, Kyoraku now couldn't sense what her next move was but he simply tilted his hat with a smile. "Ooh, she's getting a little too serious now, isn't she?"

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Ukitake thought he had made the biggest blunder in his life when he found out that he was facing Komamura's squad. Rukia was having no easy time and Reika was pretty much having fun with the Seventh Squad's Lieutenant Tetsuzaemon Iba. She made short work of him really since now, she felt more controlled of her demon side. Her once tangerine colored hair became red with her eyes becoming onyx black but for some reason, she had not lost her sanity yet. In fact, it remained quite intact and she was having fun expelling more energy now. She could finally fight at full form. "Fukurou, do you know how many years I have waited for the day I could fight like this? I'd like to fight you with full power. You and I made a promise that day; the day will come when we will fight against each other at full power. I didn't want to rely on the demon inside of me."

_(Flashback)_

_Loud sword sounds echoed and clashed into the air as another sword sang high into the air and landed in the ground. It was the exam and a very young Reika now lay on the floor exhausted. She looked up at her opponent, her silver eyes watched her every movement carefully. She struggled to stand up but she couldn't find the necessary strength to do so. "Damn, how… how did you beat me?"_

_A young Diva [formerly known as Hisoka at that time] spoke in her male voice. "You're strong, Yuchizawa. This is the first time someone extended my fight another thirty minutes. I usually finish in ten," suddenly, the young silverette dropped to the ground; exhausted herself._

"_Fukurou," Reika exclaimed while walking up to her and trying to wake up the latter, "Oi, wake up! I still haven't won!"_

She remembered distinctly what had happened. Diva had lost but all because her body couldn't take it anymore. Reika remembered how pissed she was when she learned that she had won by default to Diva that day. The tangerine haired lieutenant of the thirteenth squad would never allow Diva to fight like that again; many days she regretted that she was weak and she wanted to challenge Diva somehow when the princess was at her full state.

_A few minutes later, Diva was brought to the clinic while the tangerine haired underclassman folded her arms while leaning against the chair; waiting for her. "You shouldn't lean back like that, the back rest could break," a weak voice came from the bed._

"_You didn't tell me you were badly injured, dolt," Yuchizawa muttered angrily when she saw the silver orbs focus on her, "why did you fight me at that kind of level? I won against you when you were that weak? What about those other times we sparred? I won because you were giving me a damn handicap!? Where does my prowess as a genius show there, dolt!?"_

_The silver haired valedictorian turned to face her. "One day," she weakly spoke, "one day."_

_The tangerine haired salutatorian tensai faced her. "One day what? One day you'll kick my ass? What the hell is that?"_

"_One day," Diva spoke again except this time it was a little louder despite her voice being hoarse, "one day, I promise I'll fight you at full state. Then, we can see who the real valedictorian is."_

_The younger Reika didn't know what to expect when her buchou had made that promise but she was more than happy to hold her to her word. "You bet," the salutatorian tensai walked towards the exhausted valedictorian, "one day, we'll go out to the max! We'll see who the stronger one is then!"_

_(End of Flashback)_

Reika smirked at that memory. "Yeah, one day," she softly spoke while she was still in battle. She was blocking Tetsuzaemon as much as she could but her mind was somewhere else. She could feel her hand becoming quicker and quicker with every strike and she was more than determined to beat her buchou. "Yeah, one day, I'm gonna beat you, silver! But first," –turning her look towards the lieutenant of Squad Seven, "I need to show this man how a genius truly fights!"

Ukitake was having a good duel with Komamura while Rukia was firing kidou spells. Reika didn't hold back while her scythe sang true; Vice Captain Tetsuzaemon was pretty shocked that this was what Reika was truly capable of. Ever since before, the thirteenth squad had no lieutenant and now he was beginning to doubt whether or not she was lieutenant. "You're quite skilled," he complimented while avoiding another slash.

Reika smirked. "Of course. A tensai always has to be on top. A tensai is the one that truly has skill."

Tetsuzaemon dodged another attempt while firing a kidou. "Bakudo fifty six, Rain of Blades!"

The formerly tangerine haired lieutenant who now had crimson based hair flung her scythe while repelling the blades with such grace. A smile graced her face while she saw the shocked expression of Tetsuzaemon Iba when he discovered that the blades were rendered useless. "Tensai no ore wa?"

Rukia sighed at Reika's vanity once more as she continued to say what a prodigy was though she had to admit, Reika was pretty much living up to her reputation as a tensai. "There she goes again," while blocking the sword, Rukia cast, "Second Dance, Hakuren!"

Her opponent dodged but then was hit by a huge lightning bolt which happened to come from Ukitake. "Um, oops?"

Rukia sighed while a fist nearly pounded her if not for Reika's timely save. Komamura chortled a little. "Be aware of your surroundings, girl," he said while raising his zanpakuto, "otherwise, you might get killed. There's a lot of carnage going on now," his sentence was rudely cut off by the lieutenant as she landed behind him after gashing his shoulder deeply with her scythe.

"A tensai," –she smirked while flipping her hair and raising Shukketsu Boumei-sha into a different stance, "never loses her guard. Also, a tensai such as myself would never be caught careless!"

Komamura was quite amused by Reika's antics while he saw that she could actually rival a captain in terms of power and strength but did she have the experience to tell her how to survive? That was probably the only thing that separated her from the captains. "You're fighting me too early," the wolf headed captain said while bringing down his zanpakuto, "a thousand years too early."

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No one said fighting the second division was easy. Noeru was speeding up and learning from the third seat and Hitsugaya was having problems with Soi Fon as well. He had to be conscious of two things: one: don't let her zanpakuto touch him or he's definitely screwed, two: be aware by the fact that she had not yet released her flash cry technique. He had been marked several times already; it was only a matter of time before she actually found a way to completely eradicate him without leaving trace of him ever again. "Hyourinmaru," –closing his eyes, Hitsugaya managed to activate an ability of his zanpakuto, "Zettai Reido!"

His sword began emitting a frosty like feel and he charged towards the short haired second division captain. He swung his sword and Soi Fon noticed her pants to suddenly start freezing. "Hm, impressive ability. But frankly – I'd like to end this quickly," –positioning herself for another attack while she launched herself at him.

Hitsugaya brought up his sword in defense while Soi Fon's zanpakuto clashed with his. "If I could freeze your zanpakuto, maybe I would have by now!"

Matsumoto dodged Omaeda's attacks and despite it no longer having any spikes, it still managed to do some damage. The strawberry blonde somersaulted while dodging some of the shots. "Haineko," she positioned herself to attack, "Ash Cutter!"

Cutting in many directions, Matsumoto had derived this from the Quick Sword of Diva and put it on a lower scale. She remembered that this attack now was at a lower level than the one of the princess' but at least, it produced the same effect. Her limitless strikes were born from this technique alone and because of Haineko's ability to slash anything her ash comes in contact with therefore, the technique was ten times more lethal that it was meant to be. "Wow, I didn't know I could actually do this. Being innovative does have it's uses after all."

Diva on the other hand clashed swords with Noeru who seemed to have a little difficulty in keeping up now. "Return," –she closed her eyes while a huge wave of spiritual energy engulfed her and increased her power to a higher level, "Agere Tonbo!" (Rising Dragonfly)

It was Diva's turn to smile. "Impressive. Now – I don't need to hold back," –letting out her spiritual energy, she released her zanpakuto's true form, "Ginsei no sora ni sasayake, Shukumei!"

A silver flash appeared which threw Noeru completely off guard. Taking this chance, Diva released ten percent of her power which involved her eyes turning into a cerulean colour while striking down her opponent. "You should always fight at equal power. Never let your opponent take advantage of you," the princess smiled at one of the top ten.

Noeru, who had greatly respected Diva as her senpai, took her advice to heart. "Yes, Diva-senpai!"

Their swords clashed and the silver glistened into the light. Diva dodged several times and even chose to parry but when she had the option to attack; she would take that opportunity and take down her opponent. Normally, Diva wouldn't wear out her opponent because she herself was limited on stamina but this time, she was going full out aggressive. "Fifth Counter, Sharin no Unmei: Hikari."

This was a new technique that Noeru had not heard of. She had only seen the Yami version of the Sharin no Unmei counter but there was a Hikari version? Before she could counter it, the spell had bound her in place while taking heavy chunks of damage at her. Noeru tried her best to stand only to fall miserably at the feet of her opponent. "You're really great, Fukurou-senpai."

Diva bowed down in acceptance while helping her up. "You're not so bad yourself, Noeru. You just need more practice."

Hitsugaya and Soi Fon have yet to decide the victor because of their fast strikes and the fact that neither captain would back down. Matsumoto was just sealing up a few more patches until Omaeda suddenly started gaining more power and blocking all her attacks. "I'm in deep trouble now," Matsumoto groaned in her mind while Omaeda continued to attack her viciously. However, she was saved by Diva's revelation of her third and second counter. "Second Counter, Bara Otoshi."

His morning star flew high into the air and while he was open, Omaeda stared in horror at the silver haired princess who gave the strawberry blonde the signal. "Now!"

"Haikiri," Matsumoto then began flicking her wrist in rapid successions which then began to slash Omaeda completely. However, before she could whoop for joy, a vacuum of wind zipped past her thus creating a deep gash in her shoulder and she found Soi Fon activating her Flash Cry attack against Hitsugaya. However, the white crowned tenth division captain was not going to back down because Diva saw his sword impaled in the ground while he let a smile escape his lips. "This is an inspiration from Diva's technique: Suisho Senfui." (Crystal Driver)

This attack was a linear attack originally but because of Hitsugaya's intense spiritual pressure, it quickly spread out and became an all surround attack. With this in mind, he managed to stop Soi Fon in her tracks while the white haired captain smirked. "I win."

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Jin on the other hand was having a gleeful time kicking the ass out of Shuusuke Amagai. Flipping high into the air, Jin dealt another attack. "Cyclone Hatchet!"

Amagai dodged it and despite Jin being good in swordsmanship, somehow, Amagai made Jin look like he was nothing to begin with. He sent Jin flying however, the latter had recuperated from the last hit and went in to strike another. Kenpachi was up to his usual antics which meant hacking away while Yachiru was told to cling on to his back. "Alright," –the brunette said while jumping high into the air and bringing it down, "this is it, Crescent Vo—what the?"

Before he could say anything, he felt some weird energy emitting so; he stopped dead on his tracks. "What is this feeling? Definitely not Shinigami," –closing his eyes, he only then realized that the second wave was coming in at full force. "Everyone, Arrancars are on the loose!"

-That's Chapter 20! Please review!


	21. Unexpected

(I don't own Bleach!)

Chapter 21 – Unexpected

The attack upon Soul Society was really unexpected. No one knew that Arrancars would suddenly barge in again like the last time and this time, they were in the middle of something. Luckily, it was something that involved beating the Arrancars and training themselves. Now, they sounded off the alarms which allowed some of the Shinigami to call the Ryoka while the others held their ground and fought them. Jin avoided fighting Amagai this time and chose the Arrancars. "They wanna party, eh? Then, I'll show them how to kick some ass!"

The brunette, wasting no time at all lunged forward to wards the charging arrancar hoping to make their head meet his hatchet axe. With a timely swing, one of them flew back while their ressurecións piled on him. However, Jin was a force to be reckoned when he was given pressure during combat and he wasn't alone. The squads were allowed to fight efficiently and they made sure that they could take down the Arrancars. Jin reflected quietly. "This demonic power that Fukurou was talking about," –he was starting to have second thoughts, "I wonder if I can activate it again."

He remembered her words until he decided to perform a little experiment on himself. "I have to let that side take over, don't I?"

His skin soon became red and his body was burning with spiritual pressure and his once brown hair became white while his orbs became blood shot red. He wanted to see how far he could go and this time, he was not going to lose control over himself again. "Hey, dumbfuck," Jin grinned while the Arrancars looked at him with anger, "wanna dance 'coz ya know? I'm feeling a little miffed today!"

His hatchet axe collided with the ground creating a heavy impact while the others launched at him. "I'm Arrancar Number Forty, Aintzane Del Porto! You think you can beat me by just turning red like a tomato? Then, you're sadly mistaken, boy," –extending his ressureción, Aintzane was more than happy to try and beat the stuffing out of Jin but he didn't know what to expect, "Recorrido, Cisne de la Migración!" (Translation: Travel, Migrating Swan)

Like the last time, Jin went berserk; his movements were focused mainly now on impulse and now that he was on berserker mode, his physical and athletic attributes multiplied ten times more than it used to and the fact that he was now unstoppable and relentless. "So," –licking his lips, Jin dodged the cero that was fired by one of the Arrancars, "ya think ya can handle meh? What the hell were ya thinkin' dawg; ya got nahta chance against meh!" Jin dodged a few more strikes until he finally got close enough to sever the left arm of Aintzane.

The arrancar threw his body backward with his blonde hair flying past him and Jin quickly caught up with him and upon seeing this, he decided to retaliate. "What horrible accent, you make people sound more uncouth and unworldly than they already are," horror displayed on his face while he was firing a cero.

"Well guess what, drag queen," the former brunette who was now snow crowned licked his lips while clashing his axe over and over again, "I don't take ya orders ya know? I got nobody ta follow 'cept myself, ya? So, get a damn grip on ya worthless life!"

The eleventh squad captain, Kenpachi himself was pretty surprised by Jin's sudden brutality but Yachiru was cheering him on. "Go choco-chan! You can do it! Go Choco-chan! Slice his legs off too!"

"Shut up pinkie," Jin angrily hacked his way through, "I do things my way, I don't need a whining brat to yak off and tell me off in what the hell I should do! Why doncha drown your shockingly fucked pink head in a golden toilet bowl or sumthin'? Do it for all I damn care," –grazing one of the arrancar's shoulders, he leapt high into the air while swinging his hatchet axe once more, "Ouji-sama no bigi ni yoina!"

His personality completely altered because apparently, Reika and he had somehow very similar abilities and it altered their personalities completely. Jin was used to trash talking in his way of speech however, the moment he became this way, it had hit an entire new level. However, he managed to keep some of his old mannerisms and that was the only way to tell whether or not he was still in his correct state but if he says that, his teammates were obliged to think that he had completely lost his mind. The last one to beat him in this state was Diva and all because she had made him exhaust his spiritual energy and physical effort. Jin started laughing maniacally while Shuusuke Amagai just stared at the fourth seat Shinigami who had been previously fighting him. "Is this what he was really capable of?"

Kenpachi glowered at the maniacal white haired red skinned fourth seat at first but then, his glowering face was soon replaced by a wide smirk. "Guess the kid has personality shifts, doesn't he? But, heck, he's doing it pretty well."

Yachiru hid behind the huge captain. "Mou~, he's so mean, Ken-chan!"

"Don't worry," the bigger captain smiled maniacally, "I'll make him do all the paper work when we're done. It should be enough punishment."

The teams were at a loss upon what to do because the berserk fourth seat seemed to be taking it quite well and he wasn't really exerting much effort. All they did was watch him for awhile because they were afraid that they would soon turn his attack towards them and having a berserk Jin was not a very good idea. With his hatchet axe cutting down the arrancar's fingers, Jin looked like he had a heavy dose of amphetamines and ecstasy. "Yesss, Aintzane's ass is mine!"

"Uncouth boy," Aintzane dodged again while his ressureción took form of a drill blade, "you certainly have no manners and that did sound very sensual."

The fourth seat Shinigami's eyes maliciously dazzled. "Oh, that's because it is, asshole."

The latter's eyes widened with horror when Jin finally sliced him in half. "Who," –referring to the Arrancars, "one of ya turds are next, ya? I'm not a very patient man, ya know."

The hollows were at a loss upon what to say. Jin was going to kill them because he had just killed one of the stronger arrancar in his berserk mode without much effort. "N-no, we're fine."

A gleeful smirk appeared on the brunette's face while he made a few paces towards them. "Ah~? Really, are y'all givin' in already ah~?"

Kenpachi then grabbed Jin's collar. "Oi, enough. You're taking all the fun!"

Jin turned to face his captain who had a more maniacal look than he did. "You know," –Zaraki pulled out his sword while he finally took off his eye patch. "it's been awhile since I last had a decent fight against a couple of arrancars. Sit back and watch, boy."

The brunette watched the huge captain leave his side while his power levels returned back to normal. "He's gonna have a heyday, isn't he?"

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Arrancars were not only parading from the side of Kanagura. Shana had her own share too and luckily, some of them were already being destroyed by her careless assault. She decided to drop her accuracy but she made sure that none of the infrastructures from Soul Society were destroyed. Unohana was also taking part of the battle and Miyazuki she soon revealed was not just a healing zanpakuto but apparently who knew that it could actually shoot lasers from its eye? The lasers were pretty lethal seeing it can cut through buildings and other things very neatly. Shana then on decided to bring out her latest technique, she had only made this one recently and she hoped that she managed to perfect it. "Here I go," –closing her eyes, she then began to focus her power into her arrow, "COOL Spear."

Her arrow started gaining wind around it and then targeting as accurately as she could, the lavender haired Quincy Shinigami let go of the string and the arrow had the ability to absorb whatever attack was thrown at it. She was pretty sure that not even a measly cero could stop it. As expected, the attacks thrown at it were rendered useless and the attack just became bigger. The problem with this technique however is that it takes a load of time to prepare. Isane had to do a lot of crowd control before Shana got it. "It took me approximately three minutes to get this technique completed," the fourth squad member made a mental note to herself, "I have to do it in one minute so it won't be much of a burden."

"Shana," rushing towards her, the periwinkle haired lieutenant looked extremely worried for the younger Shinigami, "you alright?"

The little girl looked at her superior who was taking out one of the hollows that were trying to attack her. "I'm fine, Kotetsu-san," –Shana was trying to be very polite about it since she wasn't the type to show respect to almost anybody, "how are the others?"

Isane scanned at the other squad members who lent their aid. "Well, they are injured but they will be fine. How about you?"

The Quincy Shinigami looked at her shihakusho which was decently torn up by some cero that were flying all over the place. She then noticed one completely unharmed while it stood behind his comrades. "So, you managed to kill all of them. I'm quite impressed for someone so small and so innocent to wield a bow and arrow in combat like an experienced veteran. You're even more skilled than your superior," –clucking his tongue and drawing out his ressureción, he flicked his hair with an arrogant aura dripping from his every side, "Porfiro Alejandro," he bowed down while giving her a courtesy smile, "it is obligatory for a woman to give her name as soon as a gentleman does."

Shana bristled at the term "woman" while she glowered at him. "For your information," –she resisted the urge to slap him, "I'm not a woman! I'm still a kid! Secondly, why should I show respect to a hollow? You're no gentleman and mama said that hollows are anything but human. They were once but they chose to become demons themselves after a span of a few years!"

The man looked up while faking hurt. "Ouch, and who is the "mama" of yours who said that?"

Shana strung her bow once more as an arrow began to materialize. "Don't you dare insult mama, you lousy meanie!"

The arrow flew but the arrancar gracefully leapt high into the air like a crane while he flung down his ressureción. "Rasgón por la mitad, Quimera de Mentira." (Rip in half, Lying Chimera)

Though the young Quincy Shinigami was in no mood to deal someone with the likes of him, she had no other choice. Charging towards him, Shana made sure she left no room for him to attack but she never realized that his weapon was something that flew and darted towards her. She ducked to dodge the first attack in order to fire her arrow but the man's face remained smug. "Why is he smirking like some idiot? Doesn't he realize," before she could finish her thought, she felt something imbed in her knee while blood gushed out.

"So, you are probably wondering why I managed to imbed something in your dear little shoulder ne," Porfiro sniggered while twirling his magenta red coloured hair, "it's simple: I'm just a better fighter than you are."

Shana's eyes began to water; how could she have been so careless? Diva had been drilling it over and over again into her head one quote that somehow no one took seriously: Yudan sezu ni ikou. Now, she was going to pay the price for her carelessness. Slumping down due to the pain in her knee, she soon couldn't find the energy to lift her body. Porfiro scoffed while giving her a fearsome stare. "See? This is why you should respect your opponents," taking a few steps towards her, "you never know when you're going to ask for mercy."

The lavenderette hell zanpakuto wielder couldn't feel her muscles anymore. They were completely frozen and soon, she started losing her senses. "Why? Why is my body completely frozen? Why can't I see? Someone," –more tears began to spill from her eyes, "help me! Someone…!"

"You claim to be a gentleman yet you choose to hurt a child," a voice cut in smoothly, "you hollows are nothing but hypocrites and despicable pieces of trash."

When Shana opened her eyes and for the very first time in her life, she had seen Unohana actually run her sword through someone. The hollow coughed while he started gurgling in his own blood and his mask began to crack. "What? H-how did you?"

"Getting past you," Unohana's tone was very nonchalant while a serene smile still appeared on her face, "is nothing for me."

The hollow weakly slumped down and slowly writhed in his agony while Isane started tending to Shana's leg. "Are you okay?"

Shana began hissing in pain until she saw a bright flash of light from one side. She knew that light and the spiritual pressure was humongous. There were only a few people who had that kind of power but the light alone managed to help Shana distinguish who that light belonged to.

"Reika-nee-chan," the Quincy Shinigami watched the light dissipate with assurance.

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On the other side, the tangerine haired lieutenant couldn't believe how much energy she had expelled. Her spiritual pressure had gone up during the past few days but never did she realize that she was strong enough to generate an energy spill that large. The very few who had spiritual energy like this were herself, the captains, Fukurou Diva and maybe Jin due to the situation they were both in. Bringing up her scythe again, Reika had to make her zanpakuto a cane to help prop herself up. "How can they keep expelling their energy like this? I can probably do it once," –she shook her head with a mocking laugh, "yeah, once a month maybe. If you count not battling, maybe I can actually expel this amount twice a month."

"Yuchizawa-san," Reika found Rukia running towards her with worry, "are you alright? You actually blew them off with that kind of spiritual pressure!"

Before she could reply to Rukia, the arrancar got up again and charged towards her. "You will never beat Nestor Fernandez! A brat will never beat me!"

With a skilled flip, Reika drove her scythe deeper. "For someone whose name means "wise", you're anything but wise."

"Really," Nestor grinned while his green hair suddenly started taking shape of a drill, "Destruya la crónica, Pelo de Clotho!"

The genius slid to one side while smoke started covering her. The terrain was now working to his advantage because Reika was a close range fighter. "Damn, there's no way I'll lay a hit at this rate."

With his hair doing the work for him, Nestor looked at his nails. "Is this all you have to offer, muchacha?"

Reika didn't really have a say in anything. Blocking one of the tendrils, the tangerine haired lieutenant continued doing so. "I've got no plan. There's gotta be an opening. Wait a minute what am I saying? Of course I'll find it because a genius always knows where it is!"

For a few minutes, Reika kept dancing away from the attacks. It wasn't easy especially when you have Nestor taunting you. "¿Cuál es el tomar tan largo, muchacha? ¿Están mis ataques demasiado para usted, muchacha?" (What is taking so long, girl? Are my attacks too much for you, girl?)

Reika bristled. "Stop yakking in Spanish! Even Miko speaks better than you!"

Finally, her few minute dances paid off when she saw an opening. "I got you now, usted burro." (The word "burro" means "donkey".)

Swiftly skiing past the drills, Reika delivered her scythe neatly. "Eat that, usted cabra." ("cabra" means "goat")

The arrancar's voice was gurgled. "Usted acaba de conseguir afortunado, palo de golf." (You just got lucky, brat.)

"Yeah," Reika dropped lightly to the ground. "I guess I was just extremely suerte today."

With the arrancar defeated, the tangerine haired Shinigami looked up at the black haired younger Kuchiki sibling while muttering. "I feel like crap," because she expelled too much of her energy, she slowly collapsed unto the floor until she felt a pair of arms catch her. "Reika, you shouldn't push yourself this hard," a voice quietly mumbled.

Reika looked up and found white hair draping all over her catcher's face. "Heh," –she smiled faintly, "says the man who has tuberculosis and shouldn't be out here."

Ukitake couldn't help but laugh mutely at Reika because it was true and she did have a point. "Well, I am in my best condition today and I wanted to see the results of our training sessions. It seems to be working because I usually drop after five minutes."

"Really," his lieutenant lowered her head while mumbling softly, "I don't think so. You're a great person, Captain Ukitake and you always managed to lead the team and I have to admit," –she remembered all those times when she wanted the squad to cooperate when they wouldn't, "you do know how to get their attention without screaming. I have to break my vocal chords every time to get their attention and really, you're an amazing leader."

Ukitake didn't know what to say and it was either Reika was saying the truth or maybe she was so weak, her mind didn't know what it was saying anymore. "Reika," –his heart secretly wishing that she was still sane, "we should get you to Unohana. You're a mess and I have no idea on how to treat sudden loss of spiritual energy."

However, she had passed out while he was busy coaxing her to get some rest but he was sure that he heard something escape. "I really like you, Captain Ukitake."

Ukitake was speechless and Rukia luckily for Reika didn't hear what she said. "Did she say something?"

"Nah," Ukitake smiled sheepishly, "she's just mumbling incoherently."

However, deep in his mind, he didn't know how to react. Brushing her hair away from her face, Ukitake lifted her gently. "We better help the others. Rukia, can you go for another fight?"

She examined her sword. "Yes, I think I can."

"I think we should find the other captains though," Ukitake looked ahead at the smoke rising into the air, "they might need our help. Rukia, you better go ahead."

With no complains and questions, Rukia vanished while Ukitake was left with Reika. Looking at the sleeping lieutenant, his face carved a smile. "Reika, I really like you too. I hope you understand why I worry about you so much," whispered Ukitake.

He didn't notice however that there was a big smile on the girl's face when he flash stepped towards the other captains.

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Taking out another hollow, Renji slapped himself mentally while Miko on the other hand started fighting defensively again. "When will you stop holding back?"

The blonde dodged while whacking one arrancar with her staff. "Huh?"

Renji resisted the urge to slap her. "You were kicking some butt pretty darn well awhile ago, what happened?"

"I," Miko looked away, "I don't know."

The vice captain of the sixth division slaughtered another hollow while Miko somersaulted over one to dodge. He was starting to have second thoughts about Miko especially when he saw her fight alongside Diva when Byakuya wasn't around. "Maybe that was it," coming up with an idea, Renji unfurled Zabimaru towards Byakuya and snuck him away. "Sorry, captain."

Byakuya glared. "What was that for?"

Renji didn't want to explain so; he tapped on his captain's shoulder. "Check her out."

Seeing that her captain was now missing, Miko didn't know what Renji was planning but she decided to go full out. "Sabaku Kage," her hand gripping her staff, the blonde slammed it on the floor.

The arrancars didn't know what to expect from the blonde but a black shadow engulfed them instantly. "What the," sweat poured down on one arrancar's face, "how…?"

Before another word could get out, the arrancars lay mortally injured at the blonde's feet. "Sabaku Kage," Miko turned away, "is a technique that almost no one can escape."

One coughed blood at her. "Really, I wonder," drawing out his blade, "how a brat stopped me, Humberto Muñoz. I'm the most intelligent of the arrancars and I lose to a brat."

Miko's cerulean eyes glared icily. "You sure don't live up to your name then because you let a brat beat you. By the way, here's a little tip for you: no consiga descuidado." (Don't get careless.)

The arrancar lunged without any warning but Miko adroitly ducked and hit him with the butt end of her staff. "Perfecto," a smile appeared.

The blonde heard the bald arrancar hit the ground while the others charged at her. "I'm Oliverio de Peña, I am Humberto's fracción!" Charging up for a cero, Oliverio was ready to obliterate her.

"It seems you're a lot more powerful than we thought," a red haired woman with snake slit eyes flung out her ressureción at the blonde, "I am Orinda and I'll be your killer. Fregadero en sus colmillos, Basilisco Ardiente!" (Sink in your fangs, Burning Basilisk)

Miko recoiled against the wall while flinging her zanpakuto. "Really, you guys don't seem much. Like what Jin-senpai says, mada mada dana!" (You still got a lot to work on!)

Renji and Byakuya couldn't believe what they were seeing. Was this really her power? "Renji, how often has she fought like this? She's fighting in a fool hardy way and even starting sound like one."

"You know what," The red head watched with amazement, "I think this was really her style. You just held her back because you didn't like her to get hurt. That shyness thing was a façade I guess."

The sixth division captain watched his servant and fifth seat take down hollows with ease. Her skills were more obvious now seeing that she managed to beat an arrancar all by herself without exhaustion. Her skills alone were above average and she still had her zanpakuto helping her individually. Fukitsu was being a very big help since half the forces that invaded their area were now missing. The twelfth division was also lending a hand but Kurotsuchi chose to stay at the sidelines. Nemu and Danzei were faring pretty well and soon, Miko controlled the battle. "Danzei, start using your zanpakuto and flank the left side! Nemu, I need those offensive kidou spells, stat!"

The two obeyed her almost immediately when they saw her skills. Danzei was amazed and understood why she was four. She was timid at times while wanting to avoid battle but if it was unnegotiable, she became very brutal. Her cute and cuddly cat became a hollow eating machine the moment it entered combat and it lessened the effort on their team's part. "Shougetsu-san, what now?"

Miko watched the tables turn in their favour. "We can't rest yet because we still have lots more to work on. Don't weaken!"

She was pretty good as a team leader but Byakuya didn't understand why she wasn't made the captain of the Execution Squad. If this is Miko's power, what more the three above her? Shana was pretty unstable but she was slowly maturing and her power grew with it. Reika was learning absolute control while Diva's powers were still untapped and ready to explode. "Miko-san, is this how powerful you were? Why didn't you show me this power before? I would've believed in you."

Miko continued to show her prowess in battle. "Looks like my calculations weren't off now, were they?"

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Diva was fighting alongside Hitsugaya, Choubana, Soi Fon, Matsumoto and Omaeda on the other end. Like she had any choice but she didn't exactly mind either. "So Aizen made the first move," –she berated herself for being careless. "That was unexpected but, I can't let my guard down now."

Hitsugaya fought one of the higher level arrancars who seemed to be more than a match for him. "M-my n-na-name i-is B-Bl-Bla-Blas O-Or-Ortega. I-I-I h-h-hope I'm n-not g-g-giv-ving y-you a-a h-hard t-tt-time, Hi-Hitsugaya-san."

That stuttering irritated the white haired captain at all levels. "No you're not," –bring Hyourinmaru up again, "you're just wasting my time."

The sword came in contact with the arrancar's ressureción and sparks flew. The air slowly became cold while the arrancar tore his sword away. "I-I'm n-not s-sure i-if I c-could d-defeat y-you."

Diva on the other hand was fighting an opponent who was twice her size. Her strategy was what was giving her the upper hand and the problem was: her blade couldn't cut through the hide of the arrancar. "Whazzat thing ya got with ya? Ya sure it ain't a knife?"

Diva and Shukumei bristled at the insult. "No and apparently," –a silver aura engulfed her; her eyes looked more serious, "I think it's time I got more power running through me."

Her eyes became cerulean and that marked his end. With instantaneous speed, Diva left the arrancar at her feet. "Dance me if you can now, arrancar."

The arrancar spat out blood while crawling on the ground. "You stupid bitch, you cut off my---!"

Diva then found a thin sword impaling his head and began freezing it. "My angel is not a bitch mind you. You're not even worthy to even be twenty feet near her," Hitsugaya's tone was very glacial.

"Taichou," Diva remained formal when in public, "you didn't need to do that."

Hitsugaya pulled his sword out with a smirk. "Che, he deserved it."

Soi Fon was kicked down by an arrancar with a grin. "The name's Bonita," –the arrancar was a small little girl, "I hope you don't mind of I kill you."

The second division captain winced at the wound that the girl landed on her. "As if I'll easily let you kick the crap out of me," –she started building up her flash cry technique again, "little brat."

Bonita charged again. "Ahogúese, Agua del canto!"

Her ressureción became a three pronged trident and she charged towards the second division captain. Soi Fon leapt high while trying to lay a hit but to no avail; the little girl was just too fast for her. "Sting all enemies to death, Suzumebachi."

Her zanpakuto clashed with the smaller one's ressureción. "You're a little unexperienced, aren't you?"

"Stop treating me like a kid!" Bonita pushed her trident even harder.

Soi Fon grinned seeing that she was unstable. "You can't fight unless you have companions. You're nothing but a whimsical child."

Bonita kicked her hard only to have her blade meet Noeru's zanpakuto. "I'm sorry but I can't let you hurt Captain Soi Fon."

With her grip on her ressureción tightening, Bonita nearly flung Noeru off until she found a claymore lying on her shoulder. "I'm not really in good terms with the captain but that doesn't mean that you have every right to hit her back."

The arrancar didn't have time to react because Matsumoto and Diva had cut her limitlessly and she lay on the floor was indescribable pieces of mass tissue. "You're Ash Cutter's improving, Matsumoto-san. You could almost match my Quick Sword if you keep this up."

The strawberry blonde sheathed her sword. "It's just a lot of wrist flicking. You didn't get hurt did you?"

Diva looked at her shihakusho. "Well, if you count getting your robe torn as getting hurt then yeah, I did."

Hitsugaya looked around. "I think it's best we aid the captains. Suspend our match for now."

-That's chapter 21! Please review!


	22. Momo's confused!

(I don't own Bleach!!)

Chapter 22 – Momo's confused!

Diva and Hitsugaya watched the smoke rise from the other places. "Do you think that Aizen could be among those forces?"

"I doubt it," Hitsugaya's forehead creased, "if he did, it would have ended the war too quickly for his liking. Aizen's the type of man who would toy with his victims first and then kill them. He's a sadist, Diva. One more thing," –he started moving away, "if anyone harms you in any way, let me know right away."

The silver haired exiled princess raised an eyebrow at her captain. "Why?"

"Because," Hitsugaya's emerald orbs dazzled in the light, "I don't want anyone hurting you. Aizen won't know what hit him if he tries something funny."

She laughed softly. "I'll hold you to your word then."

Hitsugaya loved her laughter because it reminded him of what he was supposed to be doing. His duty, his commitment and what he swore to protect. He remembered those times when he hated being a Shinigami. He remembered how jealous the others were of his prowess as a Shinigami and how he got so annoyed with Momo when she went to the academy. Somehow, being a Shinigami didn't seem too bad to him anymore. "If I never became a Shinigami, then I would have never met her. She would've died or I would have never been able to hear her laughter," a bitter smile appeared.

"Captain, is there something wrong?" Diva tapped his shoulder.

"It's nothing," he replied instantaneously. "Captain Soi Fon, don't you think we should get going by now?"

The second division captain dusted herself with a snort. "Don't tell me what to do, boy. I know what we're doing. Omaeda, Choubana, we're leaving!"

Noeru bowed to Diva. "I'm glad to have battled you, Fukurou-senpai."

"It was an honor to battle you to, Noeru," Diva smiled, "you battled like never before."

The said girl blushed. "Thank you, senpai!"

Noeru followed after Omaeda and Soi Fon while Matsumoto retreated to the side of her captain. "So, taichou, what do we do now?"

The white crowned captain continued to assess the situation. Soul Society might go down in shambles if they did something very reckless but what could they do? Aizen caught them off guard and they had to make a gamble. Hitsugaya dreaded breaking the team and making them go alone. "Looks like I have no choice."

Diva didn't know what her captain meant. "No choice? No choice to do what?"

"We have to split up," Hitsugaya passed a glance to his teammates, "meet back at the tenth division barracks. If there's a battle you can't handle, then don't continue it. Return immediately to regroup."

The two nodded while the three of them split up. Hitsugaya went one way and he knew that this place would most likely be targeted. "Fifth Squad, knowing Aizen he's probably going to twist Momo around his finger like some bendy straw!" Without wasting any time, Hitsugaya continued to sprint very fast hoping that he would somehow reach Momo in time. As expected though, the place was a mess and Hitsugaya began frantically searching for the fifth squad lieutenant. "Momo, are you here? Hinamori, where did you go?"

There was nothing and Hitsugaya began digging through all the documents everything. It was very unlike Momo to be messy and that proved only one thing: someone was here and they got her. He dug more and more until he got even more frustrated with his actions. "Momo, where are you!?"

There was no answer and Hitsugaya continued to search frantically for her until he found something. "Oh no," with this, he left.

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Diva on the other hand was searching for her other teammates. "Shougetsu, Kanagura and the others have been holding their own for quite awhile, I can't get careless now," the silver haired princess increased her speed continuously with small bursts of power.

However, what made her uneasy was that the attack was too well coordinated. She knew Aizen was planning something but what was it? That left her annoyed because she hated things that she couldn't solve through logic. Was he looking for something? What did he want? Why was this tactic chosen? So many questions began to pop into the buchou's head while she continued her search. "This attack's too well coordinated. He sent the lower ones first I guess to test the waters but if he did that – he would have found his armada dead because Soul Society would send a heavy amount of forces. But, it's like he knew but who or what is he looking for? Rather, what is he trying to do?"

While running, Diva couldn't find any of them until she found someone very familiar. "Hinamori-san, there you are!"

The brunette turned around with a bitter smile. "Hi Diva-chan, is something wrong?"

"Yeah," the silver haired princess felt that there was something wrong, "the whole place is being reduced to shambles. What are you doing walking around here?"

Momo's expression didn't change. "I'm looking for someone."

"You're looking for someone from the squads?" Diva didn't know what Momo was talking about until she felt something run her through. Frozen, Diva looked down and saw Tobiume in its shikai form. "Hi-Hinamori-san, what is this? What's going on?"

The brunette of the fifth squad lowered her head. "I'm sorry, Fukurou-san," the tone was very bitter, "but I always hated you for trying to hurt Captain Aizen. You should look at the bigger picture."

Diva pulled away from the blade while the pain surged through her. Blood dripped from her lip. "Momo, this is making no sense. Why are you serving someone who does nothing but destroy you?"

"That's not true, Fukurou-san," Momo's expression hardened at Diva's bleeding form, "Captain Aizen isn't trying to destroy anybody! Everyone's going to be saved and…!"

"Momo, what are you doing!" Footsteps approached them until they screeched to a sudden halt. "D-Diva, what in the world…?"

The brunette took advantage of the situation. "She tried to hurt me, Shiro-chan!" Momo acting all hysterical, "she's been working with Aizen all this time! I thought I had the need to stop her!"

Hitsugaya wasn't sure what to think. Momo was fine during one of their fights and now, he was torn between his duty and his friend. "Momo, she isn't working with Aizen." The white crowned captain was trying to be elusive and he was trying to sort things out. "Diva's actually the one who found the real plot. So, why would she--?"

"Why would she know?" Momo interrupted him immediately. "Because Captain Aizen's been telling her everything, she knows every move he's going to make! She's been botching up all our plans so that he'll be more successful! Isn't that reason enough?"

Diva clutched her wound while putting her hand on her sword. "Captain, I wouldn't do something that stupid! I've just been assessing the situation!" However, Diva knew deep in her mind that Hitsugaya would choose Momo over her. "But if you truly believe her, kill me. I'm no longer a royal so, it won't be held against you."

Hitsugaya remained quiet while he exchanged glances with the three. Who was lying and who was not? Momo seemed to be unstable like always and would do things like this so, Hitsugaya was sure that he had no reason to suspect her. Problem was – he had no reason to suspect Diva either because why would the princess destroy her own world? Well, the king did want to but he wasn't the real king to begin with. So, he was utterly speechless. "Wait, this is getting all mixed up." Hitsugaya rubbed his temple while feeling a migraine coming up.

"Sorry but I don't like cheap shots." A venomous came from above. "But then again, she" –referring to one of them, "merits one anyway."

Momo looked up and someone hit her with the butt end of their weapon and Diva saw who came to her rescue. "Kanagura, where did you?"

"What da hell were ya goin' at?" He backhanded her. "Ya sat there and spoke to her like an idiot! How trusting or rather – how naïve can ya be! Ya were the one who didn't even trust ya own best friends and here ya are," –he angrily pointed his hatchet axe at Momo, "trusting some slut who works her ass off for zat hypnotic dumbfuck shit! How ya managed to believe some pathetic shit like that is up tah me tah make up! But seriously – how da fuck did ya manage tah believe in such crap?"

Diva lowered her head. "I guess I got careless."

"Ya sure did, dumbass," Jin flipped his hatchet axe and got into fighting position. "I'm gonna chop dis little brat up. She's not worth anything!"

Watching him speed off, Diva struggled to get on her feet. "Kanagura, get back and don't fight her!"

Her warning came in too late because Hitsugaya clashed swords with the fourth seat of the Eleventh Squad almost instantaneously. "Kanagura, step away from Hinamori. Right now before I run you through and freeze you instantly." Hitsugaya's tone was dripping venomously and dangerously.

Jin wasn't the type to argue with Hitsugaya but he didn't really think through the situation. "What part of "me kicking this trusting slut who works her ass off for zat hypnotic dumbfuck" don't ya get, Captain Shorty!? No one's da boss of me 'cept Fukurou and Zaraki so, one word of advice: get the fucking hell out of mah way!"

Hitsugaya could've sworn he had popped a vein in his brain. "You surely have no sane mind. That's for sure."

"Well," Jin swung his blade down, "that's what makes me strong, nimrod! Get outta mah way, taichou-chibi!"

Diva watched them cross blades while Momo slowly backed into the wall. She knew that there was something wrong with Momo because the lieutenant she became friends with was never like this. Momo had already thrown her loyalty towards Aizen away so what made it come back? Picking up her blade, Diva was determined to end the fight before more bloodshed happened because she knew one thing that Hitsugaya didn't about Kanagura: once he engages himself in combat, he will do everything in power to destroy whatever lies in front of him. "Hitsugaya-taichou, wait don't fight Kanagura either! He's going to…!"

She stopped in mid sentence and sighed because no one ever listened to her in situations like this. Despite her injury, Diva darted forward to slam both weapons down. "Hitsugaya-taichou, Kanagura, please listen to me! We're dancing right into Aizen's hands if this continues! We have to work together, not hurt each other! Haven't you guys noticed anything by now?"

Momo still stayed against the wall shivering while her sword still extended out. Jin twitched while he walked towards her. "Stay back!" With her sword in hand, Momo was ready to kill him.

The berserker brunette laughed off her threat. "Ya moron, I'm not dat big a wimp ya know." He simply backhanded her hand and she was forced to let go of her zanpakuto.

Momo stared in horror at Jin who had a maniacal grin. "So, ya gonna spill or ya gonna twiddle wiz ya thumbs?"

The lieutenant had never dealt with Jin before slumped to floor completely traumatized by the fourth seat's maniacal grin. Before he could he proceed, Diva held him back. "Momo, I know this is not you. Who put you up to this? If so – can you direct me to that person?"

Momo refused to speak while shivering violently. "No, no, no!"

Hitsugaya balled his fists until they became visibly white. "Aizen…!"

"Captain," Diva was being level headed during the entire ordeal, "we cannot safely assume that Aizen is within Soul Society. Arrancars can have many different types of abilities. One of them being hypnosis and some can even shape shift. Though I must admit – whoever had that ability did a very good job in scaring Momo into doubt. Kanagura, find the rest of the team. We're going to have to replan our strategy. It looks like the commander is still out there because we just took down the lower digits."

Jin didn't make any complains. "I'll be seein' ya, Fukurou!"

He vanished while Hitsugaya looked at Momo. "Hinamori, what happened to you? You're not the girl I used to know. You completely cracked and…"

Diva took a step back quietly. "I'll be going now, taichou," –bowing low to Hinamori, "Hinamori-san, I apologize sincerely for Kanagura's actions towards you. Please forgive him. He doesn't control his state of mind either nor does he even bother assessing the situation carefully."

Hitsugaya heard Diva's shihakusho flap into the air when she burst away full speed. He stared at a traumatized Momo for a moment. "Aizen, you have some nerve of even setting foot here!"

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Miko sat on Fukitsu's back while the black cat continued to slam down the hollows with much ease. "Fukitsu, do you think Fukurou-buchou's okay?"

The black cat continued to blast down whatever hollows lay in their way. _"She will be. She is the captain of the Execution Squad and a princess. She's not that weak, Miko."_

The blonde continued to search the area. Diva was nowhere to be seen but she managed to find someone else. "Shana-chan, you're okay!"

The younger member looked at the blonde. "Vice Captain Miko, where have you been? Have you seen Mama?"

It didn't take a genius to know whom Shana was talking about. "I haven't seen her," Miko looked around, "I felt her spiritual pressure but it's so far away. It's fading little by little."

Shana backhanded the other girl. "You idiot, that means Mama's hurt! Don't you ever pay attention in spiritual energy classes? Oh I forgot – you have COS."

"What's COS?" Miko looked at her awkwardly.

Shana threw her hands up in annoyance. "It means you're completely oblivious to everything around you. You don't even remember how to sense energy from people!"

The blonde scratched her head sheepishly. "I'm sorry. I'm just a little caught with some things."

The lavender haired girl rolled her eyes. "Never mind," –her voice dripping with sarcasm, "you think you're going to get any stronger with that kind of attitude then, forget it! You're not even going to exceed Kanagura-gaki with that kind of attitude! Hop to it, tell fuzzy here to start running!"

Miko knew Shana didn't know how to deal with the cat. "Shana, Fukitsu doesn't like being told off like that."

The Quincy Shinigami didn't listen. "Come on," she jumped on the cat, "gun ho!"

Fukitsu twitched at the little girl. _"Brat, get off me. Only Miko can command me."_

Shana folded her arms with a pout. "You better get a move on, fuzz ball!"

The cat once again didn't make a single move. _"I'm not going anywhere."_

Miko sighed while gently patting Fukitsu. "Please, we have to go now. I know you don't like taking orders from Shana but we have to find Diva right away."

The cat rolled her eyes. _"I'm not taking orders from that crazy brat but, I'm only moving because you said so."_

Feeling the cat lunge, Shana whooped with joy. "Yay, Fuki-fuki's moving now!"

The blonde watched the younger one whoop in joy while she sat down watching the smoke rise into the sky. Byakuya and Renji had told her to go find reinforcements while they held back the other arrancars that were attacking. She didn't know either what Aizen was there for but she just hoped that it had nothing to do with Diva and hopefully, this wasn't part of his plan to take over the world. The worst part of it all was that they were all separated and they didn't even know where each other were. "Shana-chan, do you know where Reika-chan is?"

The lavenderette shook her head. "Wait a minute, the kidou spell Mama taught us! We can use it here!"

Miko couldn't believe how forgetful she was. "Oh yeah, I forgot about that! Let's do it then!"

The blonde and the lavenderette closed their eyes while focusing their thoughts in five ways. "Hadou Number Five, Spirit Caller!"

The communication waves were a little static and a little garbled at first. "M… Mi… Miko-chan… c… can… you… hear… m…me?"

"Reika-chan, is that you?" Miko couldn't really tell who it was.

"Yeah," a voice that Miko recognized finally broke through, "we must be that far or the heck, we're low on spiritual energy. By the way, heard anything from our lovely buchou?"

"Nothing yet," Shana continued looking around, "mama's lost but her spiritual energy's surging up and down. I think she should be nearby if the readings are like this."

"I found her awhile ago," a muffled voice came across.

Miko was agape that Jin had actually managed to keep his mind in tune. "How did you? Never mind, where did you see her?"

"The idiot lieutenant of Squad Five stabbed her," Jin's voice came out slowly, "the kid's on a trauma spree. You better go find her now," his voice in his usual banshu drawl.

Reika berated herself for her slowness. "Damn, we took too much time with the others! Have they managed to contact the Ryoka people yet?"

"I heard Captain Unohana talking about that," Shana remembered the time before she sprinted off to find Miko, "they were going to contact them as soon as possible."

"Yeah and we just arrived now," a familiar voice said.

Miko was the first to react and saw Uryuu with Yasutora. "You guys, wait, where are the others?"

Uryuu pointed behind him. "They decided to split up so we can cover more ground. Orihime's going with Kurosaki and she plans to track down that brunette kid."

The two exchanged glances with each other. "You mean Jin-gaki?"

"Yeah," the male Quincy stifled his laughter and Shana found that quite endearing, "so, where do you guys want to start?"

Shana shrugged until she got a message. _"Diva's alright. I've confirmed things with Shukumei. She's just a little busy with Momo Hinamori."_

"Are you sure?" Shana had worry all over her face.

"_You shouldn't worry so much," _Shinijikumaru reassured her, _"you should worry more about the state of Soul Society. It will soon be in shambles if you don't do anything."_

Miko then decided to take charge of the situation. "Shana-chan, we might have to split up again because we need more ground and the first thing we have to do is pull the team back together. So, Shana-chan, you go with Ishida-san while I go with Yasutora-san, okay? Can you manage?"

Shana didn't want Miko to start ranting about safety measures. "Yeah, I can control my spiritual energy better than ever now!"

That was exactly the thing that worried the blonde. "Shana-chan, you better be sure or if you guys prefer –we can stick as a group."

"No we're fine." Quickly grabbing Uryuu, Shana was determined to prove herself. "Come on, Ishida-san! We have to go!"

Uryuu didn't have much of a say in anything because Shana was pretty strong and she was already dragging him. Yasutora glanced at Miko. "So, who exactly do we have to look for?"

"We have to find Kanagura-senpai," Miko helped the huge Mexican-Japanese on the cat. "He's in that direction and hold on tight, Fukitsu likes running fast." Turning towards her cat, Miko gently nudged the sides of her zanpakuto. "We better get started, Fukitsu."

"_It will be my pleasure."_ Yasutora could've sworn that the cat spoke sardonically.

With a great boost of energy, Fukitsu lunged forward jumping over series of houses and dead hollows.

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Shana and Uryuu rode on Shinijikumaru through the pathways of Soul Society. The bespectacled Quincy watched the girl focus on her task with such concentration that it made him look bad. "She's pretty concentrated in finding Diva-san. But – where exactly is she? Shana was right about her spiritual pressure patterns though. It's fluctuating up and down and it's hard to tell if she's alive or dead. But she looks cute when she's," he shook his head immediately while trying to conceal his blush. "What in the world---? What was I thinking!?"

The Quincy Shinigami however was also thinking the same. "He looks so cute when's embarrassed," she shook her head while blushing madly, "Waaah! What am I thinking!?"

The two couldn't believe what they were thinking. "What am I doing? She's just a kid!"

"What am I thinking?" The other thought likewise. "I'm just a kid and I don't even know what I'm doing!"

Shinijikumaru rolled his eyes with a sigh. _"You two are the worst cases I've ever seen." _Lurching forward, Shinijikumaru was determined to put his plan into action.

Because of his hard lurch, Shana was nearly thrown forward. "Hey!"

Uryuu instinctively caught her. "Watch it!"

It took them awhile to realize their predicament. Shana felt his lean arms wrap around her while he felt her body tense up a little. Her breathing was slow but they could hear their heart beats echoing in their ears. Shana felt the heat rise up to her face. "Thank you, Ishida-san."

The male Quincy let go though deep in his mind he loathed doing so. "Ah, it was no problem, Hoshikaze-san."

Shana smiled but deep down she felt a little disappointed. "I guess we're just acquaintances and nothing more." Reality smacked her in the face.

Shinijikumaru felt Shana's disappointment. _"Stupid idiot, he has no idea that they both feel the same thing! Hold up, I have an idea!"_ -the frilled lizard thought it through, _"no, that's the worse idea ever."_

However, Shinijikumaru's prayers were suddenly answered when a hollow just dropped in front of them. "¿Usted va en alguna parte?"

Shana looked at Uryuu. "What did he say?"

Uryuu tilted his glasses. "I think he asked us about where we're going."

The lavender haired Quincy Shinigami glared at the hollow. "Well, tell him to move or I'll imbed his body with needles!"

"Hey, I can understand English too, ya know!" The hollow brought out his ressureción. "Serafin De Sofia is the name! Do you guys wanna know what day it is?"

Shana knew the answer to that one. "Yeah I do! It's the day when you die!"

The arrancar was immediately cut off by one of Shinijikumaru's arrows that were flying all over the place. He leapt behind them but Uryuu countered with another arrow while Shana managed to hit his cero shots away. "Impressive for a runt, therefore I shall let you have the honor of seeing my ressureción! _Caricia_," –his ressureción started taking form, "_Caída de Eve_!" (Caress, Fall of Eve!)

Shana's eyebrows shot up. "Fall of Eve? What in the world is that!?"

Uryuu too was freaked out by the name of the ressureción. "His ressureción comes from the bible when Eve ate the apple from the Tree of Knowledge. But why "caress"? It makes it sound so erotic."

Serafin heard the explanation loud and clear. "Hey, ressureción and hollows have feelings too you know!"

The male Quincy shrugged. "Well, I don't really care. Just move out of the way." With this, Uryuu fired an arrow which could have knocked the ressureción out of Serafin's hand if not for the hollow's quick reflexes. "I was known to have the fastest Sonido out of all the arrancar! Your attack won't hit me!"

Shana didn't want to believe it. "How sure are you?" Firing another arrow, Shana had slightly missed due to the man's instant reactions.

"See? You guys don't want to believe me but here's the proof." Flipping around, Serafin proved to be more than just fast. "Taste my cero! I'm sure you won't have a problem with it!"

Shana saw this as the perfect moment to test out her new technique. "COOL Arrow!"

However, she wasn't fast enough and the cero would've killed her if not for someone's quick yank and defense. "I-Ishida-san?"

Blood trickled unto Shinijikumaru while Uryuu gasped a little. "It's alright. It's just a small hit. I'll be fine."

Shana's eyes became reptile-like while the seal on her arm began cracking. "NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!"

Uryuu saw Shana start gaining power and he had to admit, he was terrified. "Is this the thing that Diva was trying to suppress back then at Hueco Mundo?"

The hollow stood back; mortified by what he was seeing. "What in the world is she---?"

Uryuu turned to Shinijikumaru who lowered his head in shame. _"It is my fault that the girl came out this way. You don't know how we met now do you?"_

The male Quincy shook his head and Shinijikumaru let out a sigh. _"The day Diva saved her and there was something that happened as well. There was time that Shana and she were out with Hisoka-san and Diva failed to kill one hollow. That hollow was me and I wanted souls. The moment I smelled Shana, she smelled so sweet I couldn't resist. She was brimming with power and now, I regret it."_

Both parties watched Shana morph into something that they've never seen before. Her hands became claws and two pairs of wings started sprouting from behind her with a single horn protruding from her forehead. Her skin slowly changed to a navy blue colour while she suddenly grew another set of eyes under her current ones. "How dare you!" Her voice becoming more brutal and demonic.

Serafin dropped down to the floor in horror while Shana took a step towards him. "Don't you dare hurt Uryuu! Don't you dare hurt Uryuu!" She chanted over and over again.

"Don't hurt me! Don't destroy my face!" He started scrambling away.

Every step Shana took seemed to kill all living things. The place slowly rot into mere branches and even the concrete turned into dust. Uryuu could only stare in awe. "Shinijikumaru, the lizard of famine."

"_My power always associated itself with taking the lives of living things. I feed on the living energy of things."_ Shinijikumaru watched his wielder deal with the hollow.

Uryuu didn't want to watch what was happening to Shana so, impulsively, he threw his arms around her. "Shana, enough!"

The lavenderette upon hearing his voice suddenly shrank back into the normal girl when she felt his arms tighten its grip around her. "You better control your power."

"I'm sorry." Shana looked away with shame. "I don't know what came over me. I'm sorry."

Uryuu gently brushed her hair. "I didn't do this because I was terrified and I was obligated, Shana." He stated suddenly.

She didn't understand what he meant but soon, she understood why.

"I did it because I love you," Uryuu's voice was hoarse like a whisper.

-That's Chapter 22! Review please!


	23. Cherry Blossoms

(I don't own Bleach!)

Chapter 22 – Cherry Blossoms

The arrancars continued to invade Soul Society in such a short period of time that it was almost insane. Explosions could be heard and blood coated the pathways of Soul Society. Howls were heard while smoke slowly rose into the air. Many of the Shinigami were inexperienced when it came to facing the arrancars and many of them had been killed all because of this war. Yamamoto wanted to end it as soon as possible but Aizen planned on dragging out the entire war. What was he trying to do? No sane commander would destroy the place he wanted to rule. He would only need to get rid of the pests. "We are the pests to him for that matter," the old man dragged his cane while watching through the window.

He had positioned himself in a place where he could easily stop Aizen in case he had come waltzing in. The squads were doing pretty well without him though which was quite a relief to him because at least the training was coming in handy. Now that they had the Ryoka with them too, their chances of winning increased and now, even the arrancars were drawing back. "Sakisabe, I think it's time we entered the battlefield as well no? The youngsters have been taking all the fun."

His lieutenant made his way towards him. "True but didn't you want to hold back first so that Aizen doesn't try anything unscrupulous?"

Yamamoto then remembered the reason why he stayed in the barracks. "Ah yes, but then again, these old bones need a little warm up. Don't you think?"

Sakisabe chuckled at the point his commander made. "I guess."

Without any complaints, Sakisabe followed the commander captain out of the barracks while he flash stepped alongside him. Yamamoto watched his lieutenant keep up with him until an arrancar dropped in front him. "Hey old man, where are you heading? Shouldn't you be at home on a rocking chair?"

Yamamoto was certain that this arrancar was simply an eyesore. "Move out of my way, arrancar. I have no time to mess with an eyesore like you." Slamming his cane down, the old captain allowed his energy to surge through the area thus paralysing whatever was within his reach of two miles. As expected, the arrancar fell to his knees while Yamamoto stared him down angrily. "You are a thousand years too early to fight me, arrancar. Your foolishness is your downfall."

The arrancar stared in horror while Yamamoto brought down his zanpakuto to slay him. Fire erupted from the building while Sakisabe examined the body. "Sir, don't you think it's a bit too much?"

The old commander chortled. "I think not. Maybe it was too much for him."

Sakisabe never knew where his commander got his sadistic sense of humour. Nevertheless, he followed after him and Yamamoto then began leaving him behind. "Sakisabe, we have to move now. The princess could be in danger and Aizen could just be lurking behind these walls."

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Jin was searching for the other members of the execution squad until he came to a sudden halt. "Aizen, you're still here?" He revealed his fangs.

The former fifth squad captain turned around with Kyouka Suigetsu in hand. "Of course, what do you think brat? I've always been here. I just wanted to split up the forces of Soul Society so everything would be much easier for me. Besides, I have arrancars to do the dirty work for me. So – are you going to fight me here so you can die or will you run away like a coward you were born as?"

Jin drew his sword with a banshu drawl. "Look who's talking, ya dumbfuck!" (Banshu is a type of accent like Kansai and others in Japan)

The two blades collided with each other making huge bursts of spiritual energy and loud noises. "Slash, Eikochouchin!"

The hatchet axe took form and collided with Aizen's Kyouka Suigetsu while Jin started dancing his way towards Aizen. The former captain proved to be more brutal than before because he kicked Jin in the stomach and sent him flying. However, with instantaneous reflexes, Jin managed to make his way towards Aizen once more while attacking repeatedly. "Why don't I give you a little preview, Aizen? Maybe my Cyclone Hatchet will be glad to take you to hell!" Using his spiritual energy to attract a huge amount of air vacuum around his axe, Jin used his ace card to finish Aizen off.

"You have a new technique now? I must say – quite ingenious for someone who's from a squad who doesn't give priority to ingenuity." Aizen blocked it with Kyouka Suigetsu but he didn't realize that the Cyclone Hatchet would soon burst into his face. The moment the axe came in contact with Aizen's blade, the vacuum tore through Aizen's robes and he was forced to somehow kick Jin back. Then again, the brunette recovered instantaneously. "That's a pretty new step. It's definitely not the flash step so – what is it?" Aizen was pretty surprised by Jin's sudden improvement.

"An improvement of the Phantom Step called," Jin dashed towards him in a split second, "the Chain Step!"

Aizen ducked while Jin's kick missed him by a few mere inches while the brunette used the Chain Step once more to bounce towards the former bespectacled captain. "You're quite ingenious. Though you're a little too early to be fighting me – rather, you're three hundred years too early!"

Jin then discovered that Aizen had been holding back on him the entire time because the man delivered a swift blow to his stomach followed by a vertical smash against his shoulder thus cracking his shoulder blade and pinned him to the wall. "See? I managed to beat you in a mere three minutes while you were off throwing your spiritual energy around. You're nothing compared to me, Kanagura-kun. Though I have to admit," –he took a look at his robes, "you're the very first one who tore my robes this badly. Even the princess couldn't lay a hit on me."

Jin's eyes widened. "She couldn't?"

"No she couldn't." Aizen flung Jin aside who crashed against a bunch of crates that were lying on the sides. "Unlike you, she has more control but that comes with a weakness – there's hesitation in her techniques. You on the other hand have no control but there is also a flaw in that – you expel too much energy and you waste it just like you did now."

The fourth seat Shinigami scrambled up to his feet while Aizen advanced towards him. "It would be such a delight though – to get rid of one of the power houses of the Execution Squad. One of the limiters of the hell zanpakuto and once you and the princess are gone – I won't need to do anything."

The brunette had no idea what Aizen was talking about. "What the hell are ya talking about? That's the dumbest thing I've ever heard, ah~. Ouji-sama doesn't understand this little concept of yours because he's not sure of – whether you're insane or not!"

Aizen pointed his sword at Jin while drawing it down slowly his forehead. "Oh it's very simple. The logic is that of a faucet and its switch. What happens when you pull off the switch on the faucet?"

"It spurts out and dies?" Jin didn't understand where this entire conversation was going.

The captain thrust the sword a little further. "Yes, that's true but in this case, the hell zanpakuto will drain them. Once they have no more spiritual energy, they will feed off their life energies and they will slowly die and wither like dried up plants."

Jin shuddered at the image. "Well, I'm gonna beat ya filthy little ass and shove a pole up its puny little crack!" Focusing all the spiritual energy around his body, Jin made the wind start building around his body. The force was strong enough to knock Aizen back a few feet but the man recovered and cut through the slashing wind. "Impressive. What's that new technique now? Or was it a simple measure of desperation?"

Smoke clouded in front of Jin and separated both of them. Aizen sheathed his sword. "The boy must be bleeding by now. I'll just let him dry up then."

Before he could make another move, Jin burst from behind the smoke and launched himself towards Aizen. "There's a card game I saw on TV and you know, the game's called "bluff" but guess what it's other name is," –his sword collided with Aizen while he faced his palm at the former captain's stomach. "It's called bullshit. Bakudo Sixty Five, Flaming Dragon Canon!"

Aizen watched the boy's kidou attempt with a smirk. "I thought Squad Eleven discouraged kidou."

"Discourage is different from forbade, dumbfuck!" Jin's hand started glowing while a huge fire consumed them both.

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Miko on the other hand was with Yasutora and fighting off a couple of hollows. "I didn't know Aizen sent an entire army here! I thought he only sent like three dozens!"

Yasutora sent another flying. "That's what I thought as well. We never knew the situation was this bad."

The hollows charged towards them with astounding speed and they didn't give Miko time to react. The blonde was knocked off and Yasutora was buried. "Shougetsu-san, watch out!"

Miko crashed towards the ground but she had enough time to bring out her staff. Blocking the shots coming at her, the blonde blasted the ceros in directions that wouldn't hit any innocent bystanders. More arrancars came in but Yasutora was taking care of most of them. "Would you like to dance with me, señorita?" A smooth voice came from behind her.

The blonde turned around only to see a heartbreakingly handsome hollow standing behind her. His short straight gray hair flowed nicely past his face while he stared down with icy blue eyes. "A young lady such as you shouldn't be dancing among smoke and dirt. You should be dancing among the flowers and the butterflies. Why is such a beautiful lady sitting out here with a brute of a man? In fact, the war is no place for a girl. Please return back to somewhere safe. I hate seeing a woman get hurt."

The blonde was shocked by the man's politeness. "Who are you?"

"I am Vicente," bowing low, he drew his ressureción, "Décimo Espada, Vicente de la Xiomara. By the way, I'm sorry but I must eliminate you if you won't leave. Aizen-sama's orders must be followed."

Miko was in no mood to take orders from an arrancar. "I'm sorry but, I am also ordered to defeat anything that tries to hurt the citizens of soul society." With her staff in hand, the blonde readied herself to assault the arrancar and parry any attacks coming from him.

Vicente gave her a rueful smile. "Very well, you leave me no choice." With his ressureción fully drawn out, Vicente bowed down, "Encante, Tentando a Escarlata." (Enchant, Tempting Scarlet)

The blonde danced away from the snaking red sash and soon found her opponent missing. "Where are you!? Come on, fight fair arrancar!"

"I would rather not fight a fair maiden such as thee." The voice echoed back. "But if you wish for a fight then so it shall be."

Without another second wasted, Miko felt herself get hit by something and when she checked her shihakusho, it was torn. Another shot came and this time it was a lot faster. "Where is he? I can't see him anywhere! It's like he has a veil covering himself and I can't even wait a minute." Looking towards the ground, Miko found cement scattered all over the floor. "Maybe dust might change a few things." Crouching down to grab a handful of dust, Miko looked like she was a predator ready to pounce.

The moment she heard a disturbance, she threw the dust into the air hoping it would drop on the man to reveal his form. Unfortunately, it didn't work quite right. The attacks however became much faster slashing Miko in every manner and angle with such precision. "I told you, a fair maiden such as thee should not be in such gruesome battle."

The attack continued and Miko was completely defenceless. How was she supposed to fend off against something she could not see? For the first time, she actually felt defenceless against the attacks. This is why she fought defensively more than offense. In times like this, her knees grew weak and she felt her body freeze upon trying to move. "Why? Why can't I move? There has to be some way I can see him! How come I can't?" Then, she noticed something glint and found the answer. "That's it! It reflects off the light! It refracts the light and then…!" Before she could figure it out, she felt something run through her body. "No, I was too late…"

Vicente stood behind her with a sad smile. "It was too late. You couldn't figure out my zanpakuto in time. Too bad but, I will spare you. You are pure of heart, una señorita tal como usted debe ser ahorrada ser permitida y ser algo mayor." (A lady such as thee should be spared and be allowed to be something greater.)

Miko felt a sour metallic taste drip from her mouth while she felt her whole body shut down. "I... can't believe it. No, I can't lose!"

"I'm sorry. But this is the end of the line for you, fair one." Vicente caught her until he suddenly stopped in his tracks because behind him stood a very angry Byakuya Kuchiki. Though the man didn't show it, the arrancar could already tell that Byakuya was ready to tear him from limb to limb. "Did you… do this to her?"

Vicente gave him the wrong answer. "No, I just found her here."

The tall noble vanished and when Vicente looked at his arms, Miko was no longer there but she was in the arms of her captain. "Do you know what I told the squad captains when I first enrolled her in becoming a Shinigami?"

The arrancar didn't know what to say but Byakuya was glowing with a dark pink aura. "If I ever saw her crying or bloodied, rest assured, I will hold you responsible and make it a point to make the one responsible miserable for the rest of his life."

This was the first time Byakuya had been so riled up in his life. Well, other than him getting angry when his sister nearly got killed, this was the second time rather. "Chire, Senbonzakura."

Deep in his mind, he never thought of doing anything so rash in his life but this took the cake. Miko mattered so much to him now. He now saw what Senbonzakura was telling him.

_Let go of Hisana and walk forward towards the future. Love someone who would give you hope. What has happened in past must stay in the past. _

"Miko, you were always there." Brushing her hair away from her face, Byakuya had a small smile tugging at his lips but then it became resent when he glowered at the arrancar that stood in front of him. "You're going to regret hurting Miko. Senbonzakura, finish him."

The pink swords positioned themselves in the air and shot straight forward. Vicente dodged all of them but his efforts were all in vain when he soon found them pinning his every bone in his body. Fukitsu loomed above the arrancar's body with an angry glint in its amber pools. _"You will pay for hurting my master!"_

Byakuya watched Fukitsu do its work while he laid Miko's body against the wall. Her breathing was steady but her wound was bleeding profusely. Removing his scarf, Byakuya pressed it against her wound hopefully to stop the bleeding while he could wait for some help. "Miko, I'm sorry that I didn't realize this any sooner. But, I'm glad you've stayed by my side for all these years. Thank you and I just want you to know, you're very important to me too."

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"Huh? Where am I?"

The tangerine haired girl slowly stirred while she got up to her feet. Reika observed her surroundings for a moment and then, checked her entire body. "This must be the fourth division. How did I get here? I don't even remember walking or using kidou to get me here. Wait a minute," she then fell into a terrible silence. She remembered what had happened during her battle. She had dished out too much power thus creating a heavy loss of power and a huge backlash at her. "My head still feels so heavy."

The tangerine haired lieutenant looked up when a knock came from the door. "Come in."

Her visitor apparently happened to be her captain with a basket full of candy and fruits. "Hey, you're awake. I came by to check on you. Here, I thought these might make you feel better."

Reika took a tangerine orange and peeled its skin off carefully. "Would you like some, Captain Ukitake?"

"It's alright. They were meant for you." Ukitake watched her peel off the skin with a smile.

Reika continued peeling but she couldn't help but remember his words.

"_Reika, I really like you too. I hope you understand why I worry about you so much."_

The tangerine haired girl stole a few glances at her captain who was looking out the window. There was a terrible and awkward silence in between them and every few moments, they would steal glances at each other sometimes even catching each others' attempts. "I can't take this anymore!" Reika slammed the orange on the bed.

Ukitake obviously stunned by Reika's sudden outburst. "Reika-san, what's wrong..?"

Impulsively, Reika didn't know what to do anymore. Lunging forward and grabbing the captain's haori, Reika stole a kiss from the unsuspecting captain. Ukitake wasn't sure on how to react but then, he found himself longing for it too. Clutching on to Reika's sleeves, he deepened the kiss and Reika couldn't believe what was happening. The two could feel what they have wanted to tell each other. Reika let go and stared at Ukitake. "Taichou, I'm sorry, maybe I shouldn't have."

Ukitake brushed her hair away from her face. "No, it's alright. I'm glad that I don't need to say much anymore. I guess actions do speak louder than words, ne?"

"Mm-hm," Reika snuggled near him and Ukitake didn't protest. He was just happy that his lieutenant was safe and sound. "Reika, you're not a monster. Why do people call you that? All I see is a young girl with many burn scars that haven't healed yet because no one is allowing it to heal."

Reika had fallen asleep next to her captain while he stroked her hair lovingly. He had never felt this way about a girl let alone, he never knew he would feel this way towards his lieutenant. His emotions weren't really evident until he had found himself under the spell later on. He couldn't take his mind of her and now, at least they were well aware of their feelings towards each other. "I think we should get back out there soon." Reika mumbled in her sleep.

Ukitake knew what she meant. "I know but you're in no condition to fight. I mean – you could get more injured than you already are."

Reika lay back with a sheepish smile. "I guess you're right."

The white haired captain watched his lieutenant fall asleep. Everything was going so well in his life except for the war. Why is Aizen here? What does he want? Rather, who does he want? Before he could deepen his thoughts, Kiyone and Sentaro barged in. "Captain, emergency! There's an arrancar at the northern area! What should we do?"

Ukitake didn't know whether or not he should scold them for nearly waking up Reika. "Kiyone, Sentaro, you shouldn't just barge in here." He didn't want to raise his voice in fear of waking Reika up. "I'll join you in a moment."

Kiyone and Sentaro didn't know that their captain was restraining his voice from rising. "YES SIR!" They chorused even louder than the last time.

Reika shifted sides much to Ukitake's belief while the two vanished. "They really need to know how to lower their voice sometimes."

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Diva had split up from her captain only to find Orihime with Ichigo. "So, you guys managed to get here? That's a relief. I guess Urahara-san helped you?"

The orange haired Shinigami drew out Zangetsu. "Yep, he sure did. How do you think we come here all the time?"

The silver haired Shinigami led the way. "We have to find out what Aizen's aiming for. It can't be for the king's realm anymore. He already has permission from my uncle to enter the realm."

Ichigo thought for a moment. "So, if it isn't that, then what is it? Can it be the entrance to the realm of the Waterfall of Spirits?"

"Yeah, that's pretty much probable." Diva then realized that she had missing out on that the entire time. So, if Aizen sent his arrancars, where exactly was he? Halting her movement, Diva stood stiffly while feeling out her surroundings for a few short moments. Her strength may not be as good as Jin's, she may not have Shana's accuracy nor does she have Miko's healing ability or Reika's spiritual energy control but her senses were tip top shape compared to the others. Waves of spiritual pressure spouted all the place that it was almost hard to tell which one belonged to whom. "Hm, that's odd. Why can't I feel Kanagura's energy? Unless…" Realization hit her like a lightning bolt. "Kurosaki-san, Inoue-san, please follow me! Kanagura-san has met up with Aizen!"

Ichigo felt his jaw drop. "How can that be? Aizen wasn't here when we came!"

"He probably cloaked his spiritual energy, Kurosaki-san." Diva sped off quickly in search for her rival. "I may not be on best terms with you, Kanagura. But, you're still my team mate and I care a great deal for my team mates. No matter whom they are or who their opponent is, I will always be there to help."

Ichigo followed after her while Inoue tried to keep up with their fast pace. He could see the worry in Diva's eyes no matter how stoic she looked. Even though the guy was a pain in the ass, Diva still cared a great deal. They were rivals sure but that didn't stop her from caring. "I can see why she was made leader." Ichigo thought sourly while he reflected his friendship with his team mates. Ishida had a one sided hatred towards Shinigami, Yasutora was just kind and Inoue was his best friend. Rukia was always his mentor, ever since he got his powers.

Or was she really just his mentor?

Ichigo reflected on all his past experiences with Rukia and saw that his feelings had progressed so much that there was no turning back. "Fukurou-san, so tell me, how do you manage to know if there's something wrong with your teammates? How do you even get that kind of insight?"

Diva shrugged. "I don't have insight really. It's just this feeling inside of me that tells me that there's something wrong. It develops in time, Kurosaki-san."

The orange haired substitute Shinigami looked at Diva for a moment and then examined himself. "Am I really that insensitive? If so – then, how do I get more powerful? I may be insensitive but I want to make sure that I'm strong enough to prevent every problem thrown at me."

Then, all of a sudden Inoue saw a trail of blood leading to an alley. "Kurosaki-kun, Fukurou-san, look at the alley way!"

The two Shinigami saw the alley way and when Diva activated her spiritual energy reading ability, her eyes widened with horror. "Kanagura's in there!"

Without any hesitation, the two followed after her and found Jin slumping against the wall. His hatchet axe was reduced into its neutral form while a bitter smile formed at his lips. "Sorry, ouji-sama couldn't stop the aho after all. Aizen's really past ouji-sama's level. Think ya can handle it, Fukurou?"

The silver haired princess lowered her head. "At this rate, even I'm not sure if I can fight at Aizen's calibre. After all – experience was always the best teacher now wasn't it, Kanagura?"

He spat out the blood. "Damn, why can't ya call me Jin for once ya gingami-aho?" (Gingami means "silver haired" aho means "idiot")

"I just never found a way to break my habit, Kanagura." Diva stood up while beckoning to Orihime to do her thing. "Kurosaki-san, I think we have a match to settle with Aizen. We must fight him and finish him off, once and for all. We cannot keep dragging out this fight!"

The two vanished while Jin was left alone with Orihime. "Thanks, hime-chan."

Orihime blushed while she continued. "It's the least I can do, Jin-kun. I mean – healing is all I can do really aside from defend from huge attacks."

"Don't say that." The brunette shifted his body position. "You're great in many ways, Orihime-chan. You're bubbly, you're kind and though you may be an airhead, you got some pretty nice quirks too."

The reddish brunette blushed madly while he entwined his bloody fingers with hers. "I wish I could say this more clearly but Orihime-chan, I want you to call me "Jin" from now on. Drop the suffixes, it makes me feel old and I don't want anyone questioning what I really feel towards you. Ouji-sama really likes you, hime-sama."

Orihime blushed while looking down. "You mean it, Jin-ku – I mean, Jin?"

"Ouji-sama." With a smirk plastering itself on his face, Jin told her the truth. "Never goes back on his words, hime-sama."

The healing brunette looked down for a moment mumbling. "I didn't know you liked me in the same way, Jin."

"Believe me." Jin wiped the blood from his lips. "Ouji-sama barely lies about his feelings."

Gently pressing her hand against his wounds, Orihime had a gentle smile on her face. "I – I've liked you ever since you've been helping me train, Jin. I'm glad we feel the same towards each other."

-That's Chapter 23! Please review!


	24. Countdown to Aizen

(I don't own Bleach!)

Chapter 24 – Countdown against Aizen

Diva was trying to piece up Soul Society. She never knew that Aizen would be the one to initiate the war. However, she knew she had to come up with a new plan and fast. Hitsugaya was out trying to fix a traumatized Momo while she fought alongside Ichigo. The Soul Society she once knew was being turned into shambles and she wanted to save it, no matter how badly they treated her in the past. Continuing to release small bursts of spiritual energy, Diva continued to search for her teammates. She had found Jin and left him in Orihime's care and hopefully, he would make a move already. "Kanagura may believe he's smart but he's always been dense when it comes to understanding people."

Ichigo heard a loud explosion as a huge ice dragon rose into the air. "It looks like Toushirou's going to need your help soon."

Diva saw the dragon from a distance. "Yeah I know but there are some things that have to be attended too as well. Kurosaki-san, please aid my captain. There's a royal affair I must deal with."

The orange haired Ryoka didn't want to leave Diva to deal with the matter on her own. "Forget it. They said if you die, this whole war's going to tip towards Aizen. No way am I leaving you."

Knowing that he wouldn't listen, the silver haired princess simply continued running. "But when I tell you to leave when I encounter him, you will leave with no questions. Is that understood?"

Ichigo remained adamant about his decision. "No matter what you say, I'm sticking to you, Diva-san. Screw the world if I get killed because at least I'll die with a reason."

The silver haired Shinigami resisted the urge to hit Ichigo hard on the head. "Are you that stupid? Why are you willing to throw your life for nothing? Are you that insane? Don't you value the people around you? Don't you even want to spend time with them? So, you're willing to throw your life out of the window for something that doesn't really involve you?"

Ichigo knew that the questions Diva asked him were normal. "You know – there's a flipside to that. Sure, people think I'm stupid for involving myself but there is a reason why I got myself involved. The people I care about," Ichigo paused for a moment, "they're going to suffer if I don't get this thing done. Rukia gave me her powers to save my family and I became a Shinigami to protect people. I do this because I value them more than myself and I want to spend more time with them. So, I make sure I trash out every problem. Doesn't that occur to you too, Diva-san?"

The silver haired princess remained silent. All this time, she had forgotten what she was fighting for. She had thrown out her emotions long ago to be a better leader but in doing so, she had forgotten what it was like to be human. To have friends and family to cherish all the time, to have many memories that will linger in here forever and to have someone who will love her. She had forgotten all those things all because she was too busy being a leader and she thought throwing her emotions out the window would be a great help. She had become stoic over the years and now, she was facing all these things. "I guess throwing out my emotions was the worst idea ever." Diva smiled inwardly at herself.

"Hey." Ichigo's face brightened up. "You look endearing when you smile. Why don't you smile more often?"

Realizing that he had seen it, Diva quickly resumed to being stoic again. "Just keep this between you and me, Kurosaki-san. I don't like people taking advantage of my emotions."

"Is that why you decided to go stoic on everyone?" Ichigo raised an eyebrow at the princess.

Diva didn't lie to him nor did she explain. "We need to get to our destination. Don't get let your guard down!"

Flash stepping after her, Ichigo didn't bother to prod her for more information but he wasn't exactly amused by her elusiveness. "You don't need to lie you know. Stop evading my questions!"

The silver haired princess smirked while she saw Ichigo's fading image behind her. "I have to lose him somehow. I can't let him get involved with my family. I've endangered too many people as is."

"_Mistress, you haven't endangered anyone yet." _Shukumei's tone was calm yet stern.

Diva rubbed her temples in annoyance. "Shukumei, I really don't understand you. Why do you always contradict me?"

"_I rarely do, mistress. I just want you to make the right choice. He could be quite an asset too." _The silver Pegasus continued to watch her back.

The silver haired princess quickened her pace. "You've always been there for me, Shukumei. You're all the help I need right now."

Shukumei didn't know what to do with her mistress' stubbornness while she felt more spiritual energy flow into Diva's body. _"I think you need more help than you'll ever imagine, Diva. Believe me. I sense there's something wrong in this entire war. I don't think it's going to end very peacefully."_

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Shana on the other hand was with Uryuu and many of the arrancar lay at their feet. "It looks like that's the last of them in this part of Soul Society. Thanks for helping me, Uryuu."

Finally glad that she was no longer giving him the suffix at the end of his name, Uryuu sheathed his bow with a smile. "It was no problem. I just want to make sure you don't get killed."

Watching the lavenderette smile always made Uryuu's heart flutter. Though he tried his best not to show it too much on his face, Uryuu ended up giving it away and Shana always found it endearing when he blushed in total embarrassment and shyness. The both of them examined their part of the alley while looking for many more arrancar. Hopefully, there wasn't too much anymore because Shana was running low on spiritual energy and Uryuu wasn't really in tip top condition either. "Do you think there will be more? It's like an endless avalanche that we can't seem to stop."

Shana closed her eyes to sense any other spiritual energy sources. "I think we got most of them. We should look for Miko-nee-chan and the others! Diva-mama might need our help and so will Jin-gaki! As much as I don't like the fact that he always addresses himself as _ouji-sama_, it's something I can't stop. Besides – he's more amusing to watch that way."

Uryuu didn't understand why she stated it that way. "Wait, how come you call him that anyway?"

"He may be older than me," the lavenderette stuck her tongue at the sky. "But he's got many more ways to go!" Shooting her fist into the sky, Shana had an impish smile on her face. "You're so mada mada dana, Jin-gaki! You've got ways to go before you beat me! Let alone you can't even beat Miko on her worst days!"

The lavenderette may have been cocky but Uryuu liked that trait in her. She may be fool hardy and rash but she always made up for it. She danced around in the pathway until she suddenly sensed something. "Ikiwatare, Shinijikumaru!"

A pink arrow burst into many while it struck one part of the building. The shadows flashed down right in front of her and there were two of them: a young man and a little child were standing in front of the two Quincies. "Are you Shinigami?" The little child tilted his head while watching her innocently. "I'm Lareina del Ambrosio. I'm new here. Can you please show me where Aizen-sama is?"

Shana may be a kid but she was more mature than her age. "I'm not that dumb. I know you're an arrancar and you want to kill us!" Drawing out her bow, Shana had her soul cutter materialize in front of her while her Quincy Cross now formed her bow. "It's quite simple really."

The man brushed his hair back. "You Shinigami wouldn't have anything better to do unless ore-sama came now would you?"

Uryuu drew out his bow. "I just want to say one thing: I'm not a Shinigami. But the fact that you insulted Shana makes me more than willing to pierce your hide."

The arrancar's eyes shone arrogantly while he threw off his arrancar robes revealing his dark skin and platinum blonde hair. "Ore-sama's name is Cirilo del Clareta. Remember this name because ore-sama will defeat you here and now! Gobierne sobre las aguas sangrientas, Desfibradora del Tiburón!" (Rule over the bloody waters, Shark Shredder) His ressureción became a huge serrated blade which had shark teeth on it and without any warning, he charged towards the two.

Expecting this, Shana side stepped and with a feint, she managed to insert her attack. "I think you should try out my Razor Dunk!"

Her pink arrow then took shape of a buzz saw and much to her dismay because Cirilo just brought up his sword and blocked the buzz saw with ease. Sparks began flying but he sent it back towards Uryuu who managed to dodge it before it sawed him in half. Blue arrows rained from the sky while Uryuu made sure Shana wouldn't get harmed. "This is one my strongest shots, I hope this works." Gambling on the shot, Uryuu fired the Steele Schneider which looked like was going to pierce through the arrancar's mask.

But he was so wrong.

Uryuu's eyes widened when Lareina simply just opened her mouth and swallowed his attack in one gulp. "Mm, that tastes so good! My turn!" She managed to infuse the Steele Schneider with her cero which could have sent Uryuu flying two miles away if not for Shinijikumaru's ability to slice through cero.

"Don't you dare hurt Uryuu, brat!" Shana fired another shower of pink arrows down on them but Lareina just stretched her mouth open and ate all the arrows very easily. Shana's eyes widened when the cero came back at her. "No way, how did she swallow all that!?"

Lareina cheekily danced. "That's my special ability! I can swallow blasts and send them back at you!"

Shana didn't like that effect of her abilities because she was forced to play defensive. Dodging all the cero thrown at her, Shana knew she had to find a way how to send it back. She knew that she could use her COOL arrow but it might become even bigger when sent back at her. Uryuu had to use the simple arrows because he saw what had happened to the Steele Schneider. Lareina was the bigger threat and not Cirilo. The other man was just an extra because the little girl was the one they had to constantly worry about. Lareina made their shots seem like nothing and if it was too big, she just stretched her mouth even wider so she could eat it. "Wow, you guys aren't much of a challenge now are you? See Cirilo-sama, they were so easy to get rid of!"

Shana hated being talked about in the third person. "Oh yeah, you better take that back before I send another one back at you!" She finally decided to reveal her latest attack. "COOL Arrow."

Her attack absorbed all the spiritons in the air and including the cero. "Did I forget to tell you that my arrow has a special effect? No matter what you fire at us," –She watched another attack get absorbed by the COOL Arrow. "They'll go straight to the arrow and get absorbed. It's like mama's Fukurou Zone except I put it into the arrow!"

Lareina stood in front of Cirilo with her mouth wide open. "Lemme take care of this!" She ate the arrow whole and sent it back.

Cursing silently, Uryuu grabbed Shana out of the way before the arrow could strike them. There was no way to damage them and they had no idea how to even get her to leave an opening. "Alright, I'm running out of tactics. You have any idea how to kill her?"

Shana dodged the other cero aiming for her. "Unfortunately, I don't! I haven't found any way on how to take her down unless..." The lavenderette shuddered at the thought. "We attack something else. You notice how loyal she is to Cirilo and how she keeps talking to him?"

He did notice that and Cirilo was just smiling at her like a brother. "I think he's the first one who should die." Shana pointed out simply. "If we keep attacking her, she's like a rubber net that will just spit back right at us. We need to get him down. Once that happens – I think the damage will just deal itself."

"You're telling me that we need to mentally break her down?" Uryuu raised an eyebrow at the plan.

Shana shrugged at the thought. "This may be the only plan that would work but even I don't like it. It sound ugly I know but everyone knows that it's more difficult to train mentally right? With the way she's fighting, she's just attacking because she's crazy. My best guess is – she doesn't even know what she's doing. Mama usually did this with people as a last resort because she always hated seeing people cry. I don't know if we should do this coz Lareina reminds me of mama when she was much younger."

Uryuu saw the sympathy in Shana's eyes. She did have deep understanding despite her age. "What if we somehow fake his death? That will get her to crack and at the same time we won't have a conscience. It's cruel but this is the only other tactic I know."

Shana had tears peeking from behind her eyes. "I'm sorry but I really don't like seeing people cry either."

"That's what warfare is like, Shana." Uryuu didn't like the plan but they were getting desperate unless they had a better plan.

"Are you two just going to sit here or what!?" A voice thundered behind them.

The two froze while Shana began to shiver. "Please tell me that Captain Komamura is on drugs and has a very deep voice."

Uryuu shook his head while his eyes widened. "I don't think Captain Komamura sounds like a bloodthirsty killer."

"I was afraid of that." Shana knew she was not going to like what she was going to see.

Kenpachi stood behind them with his sword sitting casually on his shoulder. "Geez, you guys are so slow. Don't you guys even use hand to hand combat? Warfare means you get to use any weapon you want. So, let me show ya how its' done!" Rushing in like always, Kenpachi was always ready for a good fight. "Come on, let's see some carnage!"

Shana and Uryuu stood behind the behemoth captain in shock. "I think he's completely lost it."

"Mama said that he was always on drugs." Shana noted quietly when she remembered the time she asked Diva about him.

"I think I'm going to agree with her." Uryuu watched Cirilo make an attempt to cut through Kenpachi but his sword just rebounded at him. His very own ressureción sliced off his arm and Cirilo stumbled back in horror while Kenpachi stood there unwounded by the arrancar's attempts. "Is that all ya got? That's not carnage. I'll show ya carnage!"

Picking up Cirilo with his bare hand, Kenpachi turned to his little assistant. "Whatcha wanna do with him, Yachiru?"

The small pink haired lieutenant clapped her hand in joy. "Squish his head like a lemon, Ken-chan! Squish him like a lemon!"

Kenpachi seemed to content with Yachiru's choice of words. "Alrighty then!" Without much effort, Kenpachi crushed Cirilo's head like white cheese and blood coated the arrancar almost instantly.

Lareina's eyes widened with horror. "Cirilo-sama! Papa! Papa!"

The lavenderette Quincy's assumption was right; the little girl quickly broke down after seeing the older arrancar being tossed aside like a piece of dead chicken. Retreating immediately, Lareina began to run until Yachiru started creating this pink aura. "Yay, my turn!"

Shana looked away while Uryuu covered her face. He knew that she didn't like watching children suffer because she had suffered something similar to that. Tears began to soak up Uryuu's shirt while he held Shana close. "This is warfare after all. Shana, there's going to be a lot more of this but it's alright even to cry for your enemies."

He heard her sniffle while she buried her face into his shirt. "I'm sorry. After going through everything – I thought this would be like normal to me."

Uryuu led her away from the carnage before things got any worse. "In war, there's no such thing as normal."

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Reika on the other hand finally managed to get up and suit up. Ukitake however was a little wary in letting her out. "Reika, be careful. You just came from the hospital and you're going out again. I don't want you dead, you know. You just exhausted a large amount of spiritual energy and then you're going to go off blowing it again."

The tangerine haired lieutenant gave him a peck on the cheek. "Cheer up, Captain Ukitake! I'm a big girl now! I can do a lot of things on my own! I'll be fine!"

Ukitake sighed at the stubbornness of his lieutenant and followed her out. He saw the place was now filled with smoke and arrancars and Shinigami alike were lying on the pathways of Soul Society. Blood soaked the pathways and Reika didn't look too amused with what she was seeing. "Looks like I held back a little too long. We have to make things quick, Captain Ukitake. Can you," –she was still unsure of his tuberculosis condition, "keep up with me?"

The white haired captain looked at Reika reassuringly. "My tuberculosis won't be much of a problem. I'm more worried about your injuries."

"Worry about me when I'm missing a limb," Reika started flash stepping away, "because that's when I lose control!"

Ukitake shook his head while he followed after her. "Reika could be so headstrong sometimes. Though I wonder, how does she manage to fight despite that thing inside her?"

"You seem to have a lot on your mind." A voice followed up behind him and Ukitake saw Kyoraku flash stepping next to him with Nanao.

"Shinsui, where have you been?" Ukitake hadn't seen him on the battlefield for quite awhile.

Kyoraku tipped his hat down with a sad smile. "I've been busy. I heard you finally made a move. Nice one, Juushiro."

Ukitake blushed in total embarrassment when he remembered the kiss both he and Reika had in the Fourth Squad barracks. How did he know that anyway? He hasn't even told anyone yet and his best friend already knew? That was so wrong. "Not now, Shinsui. We have things to focus on."

The flamboyant captain chuckled lightly. "Eh, it's nothing to be embarrassed about. The thing is – I'm kinda worried about the princess. I mean – her family sent her to her own death and she's not showing any reaction. It's all a façade. Poor kid, she doesn't anyone to know what she's suffering deep down. She must be hurt like anything. I mean – her uncle is the last fragment and he wants her dead. All I've seen so far from her is this stone face. Really, the stone face doesn't suit her. It makes her look like a man."

Ukitake watched Reika accelerate a little bit. "You know, I don't think it hurts her that much."

Kyoraku gave him a droll stare. "Do explain why, Juushiro."

"She has the execution squad with her," Ukitake remembered the group she put together. "She has four of them to support her when she needs it. Miko's always been like the mother of the group, Reika's been the sister and Jin and Shana are like younger siblings she never had in her life. She may have lost Hisoka very early but that didn't mean that she was alone for the rest of her life. She has her zanpakuto also and the tenth squad to help her out when she's about to break. I'm sure Hitsugaya knows what she's doing to herself. He's been more affectionate towards her ever since he discovered that Hisoka was actually Diva. Matsumoto's probably being as supportive as she always is. I'm sure she's fine, Shinsui. It's Reika though I'm more worried about. She's always so fool hardy and she forgets her injuries and just rushes into battle most of the time."

Kyoraku laughed a little at his situation. "I think that's where you come in. As captain and partner, you gotta make sure she comes home in one piece. She's your second lieutenant after all and isn't she your 'you know what' now?"

Ukitake laughed at the way Kyoraku said the word "girlfriend". "Yeah I know, but you say it as if it's like a forbidden word."

The flamboyant captain tapped his shoulder. "Speaking of which, I think she can handle herself pretty well."

Taking a look afar, Ukitake saw Reika had cut down another arrancar very easily until she suddenly slumped to the floor. "Ow, damn."

He rushed to her immediately. "You alright?"

"Yeah," –dusting herself, Reika began doing a Hadou spell. "I just need to contact someone. Hadou Five, Spirit Caller."

It was static for a few moments until they heard the princess' voice. "Yuchizawa, what is it? Where are you?"

"Near the fourth squad barracks," Reika admitted sheepishly. "I'm with two captains and one lieutenant: Captain Ukitake, Captain Kyoraku and Lieutenant Nanao Ise. Buchou, you better tell me where you are. I can back you up. The whole place is a mess and we don't even know where to start."

"I do." Diva's tone was firm. "I want you to catch up with me. I'm with Kurosaki-san right now and we're right in front of the first squad barracks. Meet me there. Do you think your captain will mind if I borrow you for a moment and he has to wait out there?"

The tangerine haired lieutenant passed a glance to her captain while he spoke to her himself. "Fukurou-sama, what are you trying to attempt? Taking down Aizen with the Execution Squad alone is suicide. You could get yourself killed. Even with Kurosaki-kun with you, whatever you're planning could get Reika killed. Please pull back for now."

"I can't, Captain Ukitake." There was hint of sadness in Diva's voice. "Aizen is making his way here and he's breaking every barrier of Soul Society. Sooner or later he will turn our allies against us and I don't want to risk that. Kyouka Suigetsu is a powerful zanpakuto but there is someone who can break through it. Though you may think I'm crazy but actually, Squad Eleven members would be more useful in the situation. They neglect kidou but they sure have the ability to withstand hypnosis. Kanagura-san is one of them and I'm just waiting for him to heal up. I left him with Inoue-san for the time being. Reika," –the princess attention turning back to the tangerine haired lieutenant, "please pick up Kanagura. I know you're not the type to take orders but he's one of our main assets in this fight. Have you located Miko yet?"

Reika's voice was bitter. "Nope. But I can't even feel her spiritual energy. It should be sky rocketing into the roof by now. Unfortunately, her energies seem so small as if she's dying. Shana's nearby though so I can easily meet up with her. She's with the Quincy and I have wanted to ask: do I drag him with us? Oh and by the way, don't tell Kanagura that he's an important part of the plan. He's going to start ranting that the world wouldn't be able to exist without him."

"No." Diva then began making a plan. "Leave him with one of the captains or even Lieutenant Abarai. We might get too many individuals involved in something too big for them to handle. I suggest you go get Shana as fast as you can. My best guess for Miko's location is probably Captain Kuchiki. She's never left his side as far as I'm concerned. She was with Yasutora if I remember right and of course, I will make sure that his ego doesn't get any bigger."

Reika didn't know how Diva knew that. "Wait, you can feel their energy from where you're standing?"

"Not exactly." Diva's voice sounded sullen. "Their signatures aren't that clear and I'm only making assumptions. You're the one with the sharper senses, Yuchizawa. Find them and come to the first squad barracks as soon as you can. I might need that help soon."

"Gotcha. Copy that, silver princess." Reika cut the line while she looked at Ukitake with a sigh. "I guess I have to go alone on this one. It's buchou's orders."

Ukitake was not exactly sure if Reika will be alright alone. "Reika, maybe I should go with you. I'm not comfortable with the fact that you have to go alone. You're staying here."

As much as she wanted to obey, Reika knew that she had to help Diva. "Captain, I owe loyalty all to you but – Diva has always been my friend even if she just addresses us by last name. She's helped me countless of times and I don't know if I'll ever repay her but if she needs my help, it's my job as one of the team members of the Execution Squad to support her. She's always been our pillar of support now it's my turn to at least be a wall for her to lean on. I promise I'll come back."

Ukitake didn't want to give in but he remembered that he once faced a situation like this when he was with Kaien. "Alright." He brushed her hair behind her ears. "Be careful."

"I will." Reika gave him thumbs up. "Like I said: Worry about me when I lose a limb."

The tangerine haired girl vanished and Ukitake looked at Kyoraku. "I think it would be our job to dish out some damage to make sure she gets there safely. Don't you think?"

Kyoraku brought out his scimitars. "Now we're talking. Let's go dish out some damage."

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"Wow, ouji-sama's body sure can work miracles."

Jin managed to stand up but then he stopped for awhile. He looked at the places his wounds were for a moment and then saw a sleeping Orihime. "Looks like hime-chan used up a lot of her energy to shut the wound. Thanks, hime-chan. But," –he felt a tingling feeling in his spine. "I might have to go soon."

"You're not going anywhere, boy!" An arrancar dropped in front of the brunette. "You've got some pretty lady with you. Mind if we ravish her?"

The brunette of Squad Eleven didn't like the sound of that. "Ya think I'll just give in to ya people? Go fuck yourselves while I get ya damn ass!"

Their blades met and with blinding speed, Jin started attacking. "I won't let ya hurt Orihime! I won't let ya!" His body started emitting a golden aura and his presence started getting more ominous more than ever. His face began to distort and his shihakusho underwent a big transformation. They were torn off as his body began to expand in terms of muscles and he started growing fangs. "Get away from her!" His voice sounding in a more monster like manner and demonic.

The arrancar took a few steps back while Jin started turning into something he had never seen. Wings sprouted from his back while his face suddenly became longer and he actually grew a snout. Nails appeared at his fingers and they started to become harder, scalier and more dragon like. Even his eyes started to change, from his once chocolate brown eyes they became a glistening amber gold with reptilian like traits. The fourth seat planted his four limbs into the ground and because of the heavy burst of power which was now coursing through his veins, Jin let out a loud roar which could be heard from all through out Soul Society.

The arrancar stood back in horror. "What are you!?"

"Simple." Jin started baring his fangs while he took shape of a huge golden scaled dragon. "Ever heard of a Shinigami turning into a dragon!? But judging the look on ya pug ugly face, I don't think ya have. Let me give ya a first hand experience!"

Despite the arrancar's mastery of the Sonido, Jin quickly caught up with him. Beating his two pairs of wings, Jin lunged towards the arrancar and tore him apart with much ease. He chewed his body badly and threw the hollow's body aside. The golden dragon took a look at Orihime and slid her on to his back as gently as he could. "Ouji-sama never knew he could fly in this form. Ouji-sama guesses that he can fly faster than Fukurou now. The heck with it, ouji-sama better go meet her. She must be fuming pissed because he's missing and he's such an important asset."

Orihime suddenly began to stir in her sleep. "Huh? Where am I?"

Jin tried to speak as normally as he could in fear of her screaming when she sees a dragon. "Uh, you're on ouji-sama's back."

The healer looked at the huge dragon she was riding and squealed in delight. "Wow, I didn't know you could change into a dragon, Jin! That's so cool! We have to go help the others! Can you fly?"

The dragon smirked at Orihime's obliviousness. "Ouji-sama's already off the ground. Hold on tight though, ouji-sama's not really good in flying in this form yet. Alright, to the first squad barracks we go!"

With a mighty beat of his wings, he soared into the sky like a true dragon. Orihime squealed for the moment until she saw the smoke rising into the air. "There's so much death and suffering, Jin. I wish I could make it all stop. Even though I have the ability to heal, it's not working."

Jin could hear her crying while he soared through the skies. "Orihime, there are some things that we can't fix, ya know. I mean – this whole world's a screw up because of Aizen. We can't let him get away with everything he's done. We got to make sure that we get things done and make sure that this world is safe! But ouji-sama will defeat him! Ouji-sama no bigi ni yoina!"

For him to say his famous line, Orihime felt more at ease. She stroke Jin's back while she crawled a little closer to his head. "Thank you, Jin."

The brunette smiled inwardly at himself. "Ya can always trust me, Orihime. Don't let any aho near you. Otherwise – who knows what ouji-sama might do."

Orihime didn't really seem disturbed that Jin referred to himself in the third person. In fact, she found it quite cute. "Thank you."

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Miko on the other hand found herself in the arms of her captain. She tried to sit up but didn't do so much because in fear of bleeding but then, when she began moving: she felt no pain. Sitting up straight, the blonde found her captain with a softer expression. "I'm amazed by your ability to regenerate, Miko. Your wounds healed up as if they were nothing."

The blonde scanned her entire body and no longer found any wounds on her body. The only thing left that was evidence of her fight was her torn shihakusho. Looking in front of her, she no longer saw her opponent but she saw Yasutora sitting on the sidelines. "You're awake, Shougetsu-san. How are you feeling?"

Miko looked at her captain for a few moments and then at Yasutora. "Yeah, I'm fine. But – what happened to the arrancar that was here a few moments ago?"

"You've been asleep for five hours." Byakuya noted while he ran his fingers through her hair inconspicuously. "you were bleeding profusely for a few minutes and then, you suddenly just began to heal. Miko, I don't want you attempting to do stupid things like that ever again. You had me worried."

The blonde blushed in total embarrassment. "I'm sorry." The fact that she lost wasn't the only reason, the other reason was because she was leaning very closely to Byakuya and his arms were wrapped possessively around her. This caused her heart rate to jump and even caused her to lose her consciousness a few times. The thing that woke her up was a message from Diva. It was written on her arm. _"Are you alright? As soon as you heal up, meet me at the first division barracks. I think it's time we dealt with Aizen once and for all."_

Miko erased the writing as she got up. "Captain Kuchiki, I need to go now. Fukurou-buchou is calling me and," before she could say anything, the stoic captain rose to his full height which was quite towering over the smaller fifth seat. "Miko, you're attempting something stupid again. I will not have you bleeding or let alone dead. Miko, stay here until your wounds are completely healed. If you escape, I will take that as a blatant offense against my orders."

The blonde tried to reason with her captain. "But Captain Kuchiki, I need to help her! I'm her vice captain!"

"And you're still in my squad, Miko." The stoic captain raised his voice a little. "Who do you owe your loyalty to? Her or me?" Though his words came out a little harsher than intended.

To this comment, Miko became completely silent. "Alright. I'll stay."

She slumped down again and Byakuya sat next to her. "Yasutora, go aid the others."

Chad simply left without much to say while Miko and Byakuya sat together alone. There was an uncomfortable silence in between them until Byakuya took Miko's hands into his own. "Miko, do you understand why I worry so much about you?"

Miko laughed softly while looking at the ground ruefully. "Because, as a Kuchiki clan member, it is your job to also take care of your servants." This hit home in Byakuya's heart because this meant she didn't hear him at all when he had diced up that arrancar with Fukitsu. "Also, as a captain of the Thirteen Squad Guards, you must watch out for all of your squad members and be directly responsible for them. Am I right, Captain Kuchiki?"

The way she had said his name was what hurt him the most. That meant she had heard nothing. "Miko," –he didn't know how to start. "From now on, you will be calling me "Byakuya" from now on."

Miko's eyes widened. "What!? But that's total disrespect! At least let me call you Byakuya-sama! I am just a servant after all." Realization dawned upon her while she quietly accepted the fact that he didn't love her the same way she thought. "He only has room for Hisana. Nobody else."

As if he had read her thoughts, Byakuya tightened the grip he had on her hands. "I worried about you because you became something more than just a servant. You're not just my companion, Miko. I don't think best friend would be an appropriate term for what I think of our relationship anymore. Shougetsu Miko, I will only say this once: I love you, Shougetsu Miko. I hope you can somehow get rid of the habit of calling me your master."

Miko's face flustered into a deep crimson colour but her answer came out loud and clear. "Byakuya-sa – I mean, Byakuya, I," –she didn't know how to explain her feelings quite well, "I've liked you ever since I was small. You were with Hisana that day and when she died, I didn't know what to say and," however, before she could complete her confession, Byakuya cut her off with a chaste kiss that seemed to last longer than a normal one.

The blonde felt her body melting and when she began slipping down to the floor, Byakuya caught her and held her in his arms with a smile she had seen that he had reserved only for Hisana. "I think fifty years is long enough for mourning. I think it's time," –his eyes focused then on the skies, "I let her go."

Miko leaned against him with a soft smile. "You don't need to. You can always remember her."

"I guess," he saw a golden dragon heading towards the first squad barracks. "Miko, do any of your group mates change into a huge gold dragon with two pairs of wings?"

The words "huge" and "two pairs of wings" didn't exactly register but the words "gold dragon" did. There was only one person she knew who had a zanpakuto like that. "No but Kanagura-senpai has a golden dragon as his zanpakuto's animal form. Why?"

"That doesn't explain why there's a huge gold dragon heading for the first squad barracks." Byakuya pointed into the air and Miko saw a huge dragon. There was only one possible explanation to it. "Kanagura-senpai evolved his bankai. I have to get stronger too! Wait a minute – I have to meet buchou there!" Without any hesitation, she blew her whistle. "Curse, Fukitsu Kage!"

A black cat appeared and she climbed on top of the cat while bringing Byakuya with her. "Hold on, Byakuya! Fukitsu doesn't run slow!"

Byakuya didn't know what she meant but he realized later that the cat could actually run at the speed of mach ten. "I might hurl later."

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Hitsugaya was left to contemplate what was happening. Momo had attacked him several times and she was no easy cookie. She managed to force him to bring out his zanpakuto and he had to fight her seriously. He couldn't believe what she was doing because this could get her sentenced to execution. Why was she helping Aizen? Was she really beyond his help already? Many times, he had defended her actions and even some of the captains were starting to believe that Hitsugaya was getting biased with his choices.

Now, there was no way how to defend her.

Momo was on the floor completely unconscious but unharmed. Hitsugaya didn't want to hurt her because despite everything, she was still his best friend. She confronted him in everything no matter how stupid the matter was. When Aizen stepped into their lives, that's when things began to change. He grew more distant and she became even more unstable than ever. She lost her common sense almost completely to Aizen and she kept saying that there was a good reason why he was doing this. What angered him more was that Aizen had manipulated her into believing him so blindly to the point she had run Diva through. He knew Diva would never lay a finger on her; Momo could easily deceive people with her face.

"Momo, why?" Hitsugaya kept asking that question over and over again. There was only one reason why those things were this way and it pointed all to one person: Aizen. The fact that Momo had worked herself silly just to become a lieutenant of Aizen infuriated Hitsugaya. She dedicated herself to serving him even to the point of choosing to die for him rather than betraying him. But he betrayed her, wasn't that good enough to shock her?

Her body lay motionless on the floor while he picked her up gently and laid her back against the wall. "Momo, I'm sorry. I have to kill Aizen." Hitsugaya turned away from her sleeping form and vanished. Unbeknownst to him however that she was crying when he said those words to her.

He watched the smoke rise while began searching for Matsumoto and Diva. He was definitely sure that Matsumoto could handle herself but the fact that Diva was all alone and Aizen was targeting her was what made her his priority. Sure she could hold her own but against Aizen? The last time she tried – she failed miserably and she only managed to scuff him a little. She had so much to work on if she wanted to surpass Aizen. "Diva, please don't do anything reckless again!"

Hitsugaya flash stepped towards the first squad barracks and there he saw her with Ichigo, Ukitake, Reika, Miko, Byakuya, Shana, Uryuu, Jin and Orihime. "Fukurou, what are you doing?"

She turned to face her captain. "We're going to open the realms. We have to travel between dimensions. I'm sure Aizen already has a clue on how to do that. It's like the garganta of a Menos and we have a kidou to open towards the Waterfall of Spirits directly."

Hitsugaya was getting more worried every time she mentioned something like this. "Do you even know where to go?"

"I've seen it thrice, Captain Hitsugaya," –She didn't want to reveal that they were intimate towards each other and neither did Hitsugaya. Otherwise, the torture and the teasing would be endless. "I'll be fine. Shukumei knows her way around in the place."

His emerald orbs softened with concern towards her. "You be careful, Fukurou."

"I will." Diva nodded to assure him. "I won't let my guard down."

Hitsugaya moved towards her while he held her in almost crushing embrace. He didn't want to be intimate in front of people but heck, this might be the last time he'll ever see her again. "Diva, also don't forget: Kesshite kibou wo utte haikenai. You always used to say that to everyone."

"Yeah." She smiled faintly while she hugged him back. "Never lose hope."

He wanted to hug her for a long time but he knew the war was not going to stop for that. Letting go though he loathed the fact, Hitsugaya looked at her one last time as she led the Execution Squad in. "Alright, everyone! Get into position! We're going to give Aizen a fight that's going to haunt him for the next ten millennia. Yudan sezu ni ikou, minna!"

Jin tossed his brown hair back with a smirk. "I'm sure I won't. Ouji-sama no bigi ni yoina."

Shana snorted at the brunette's comment while she got pumped up. "Gekidasa dana. For me to work with an idiot like Jin-gaki, it's simply humiliating."

Miko gave a big cheer. "Yeah, banzai!"

Reika snorted. "Mada mada dane, Aizen."

Diva led her team in while Hitsugaya gave out orders to the other captains. "We better bide them some time then."

Byakuya drew out Senbonzakura. "This fight is bound to get messy. But – I will make sure nothing gets past us."

Ukitake drew out his swords while Uryuu readied his bow and arrow. Ichigo drew out Zangetsu while he activated his bankai. "This is going to get good. You ready Inoue?"

Orihime nodded while bringing out her six spirits. "Yeah!"

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While the five entered inside the realm, Jin began looking around the place. It was tranquil and peaceful; everything had its place in the realm. Water coursed down from the river and there were no signs of hollows. "Wow, this is peaceful. Ouji-sama bets that Aizen will be so easy to spot in this place."

Reika resisted the urge to kick him as Jin used his usual mannerism. "Why is that?"

"He's as stinky as a monkey," the brunette powerhouse pulled off another pun.

POW.

"Ow! What the hell's your problem, plumed brat!?" Jin glared at the girl who had punched him.

"If I were plumed then I wouldn't have enough concentration and I won't be able to make you say ow, you stupid banshu punning meanie!" the lavender haired Quincy Shinigami retorted.

Jin stood at full height towards the shorter girl. "Ya want to have a go, eh?"

"Oh yeah," Shana gave him sharp eye contact. "I bet I can wipe your butt all over this country side!"

"Enough!" Diva's sharp tone made them both keep quiet instantly. "Yuchizawa, don't you notice the disturbance?"

The tangerine haired girl closed her eyes and sensed the waves of spiritual energy and pressure flying all over the place. "It's hard to tell, buchou. My senses aren't that sensitive yet. Why? What can you sense? Is Aizen here already?"

"The zanpakuto can sense our presence already," Diva beckoned them to follow her. "I can feel their uneasiness. They can tell that Aizen is coming here too."

Miko shivered at the wind that licked her for a moment. "Do you think Aizen's really going to suck this place dry?"

"Where else to get a great amount of power?" Diva continued looking around. "This place is practically screaming "free energy, come and get me". Aizen's bound to come here if the king can't get in here and give him the power he wants then he might as well attain it himself. This is probably his best bet. We'll face him and take him down before he takes away all the zanpakuto. We won't let him win. Soul Society is hanging by our actions now. One mistake could doom the entire realm. No – I shouldn't just say Soul Society but the living realm as well will be doomed and Ichigo told me this: 'I do this because I value them more than myself and I want to spend more time with them.' We fight because we want to protect the people we love and we're not going to let Aizen get away with anything!"

The Execution Squad nodded in agreement until they heard a small applause in the background. "Very inspiring, Diva. Quite the pep talker I'd say."

Diva turned around to see Aizen and her uncle standing side by side. "Your assumptions were correct. We both needed the power to rule the realms. This place only opens to the true heir and we happened to have the blood of one. We just need his arm or body part to open the gate."

The silver haired princess' expression froze. "My brother. You used his…!"

"You can keep it though," Aizen threw it down on the floor and Diva saw her brother's left arm. "I no longer have any use for it. But you my dear princess are the living key to it all. There are so many things that you don't know about yourself. Like your lineage – your abilities and powers. You may be an innovative prodigy but what you have displayed to me was only one fourth of your power. I have the key to show you your real power and so does your uncle. You were the biggest threat of all the threats we've seen and I thought I had you tossed out into the wild. Then again – your brother was tossed out much earlier than you were so, he managed to find you." A sly smile appeared on Aizen's lips. "Not only that, you notice that your zanpakuto has only changed into a silver claymore? That's only one eighth of its true power. I can help you, Diva. Only if you swear allegiance to me."

Miko had spoken the words for Diva. "Buchou's not that stupid! She'll never give in!"

"That's what I call bullshit," Jin brought out his hatchet axe.

Reika brought out her scythe while Shana brought out her bow and arrow. Diva frigidly glared at the former captain and her uncle. "I will not let you desecrate this place. I won't let you take the power that rightfully belongs to all Shinigami. Aizen, I will make you meet your punisher."

Dashing with her phantasm creating speed, Diva drew out her zanpakuto while putting all her strength into it. "Whisper into the silver skies, Shukumei!"

Seeing the claymore, Aizen blocked the blade as it created sparks between her and his sword. "Did you know that Shukumei has several forms?"

Now that caught the princess completely off guard. "What do you mean?"

"Shukumei goes by several names, dear girl. Did you actually think that you inherited the sword your brother once wielded?" Aizen threw her back but Diva recovered her stance and charged again. This time, she put more force into her blade. "You should do more research, princess. That's what will win you the battle. Shukumei goes under many different names. The one you wield is one of the primera – Yonaka Shukumei."

Diva parried another attack. "What are you talking about? Every zanpakuto only has two forms: bankai and shikai. So, what's this you're saying that Shukumei has several forms?"

"Your brother wielded Akegata Shukumei or what people called the Phoenix of Fate." Aizen dodged another shot thrown at him. "Shukumei can be classified into several forms: dragon, phoenix, tortoise, tiger, raven, otter and last but not the least: the Pegasus. Each form has different attributes and yet, they're only one of a kind. Your little shikai command is the general command for all Shukumei classified zanpakuto. That only points to the fact that you're not using its real power. Did you think you mastered that sword? I think I beg to differ." Aizen smirked while he swept Diva off her feet resulting to her crashing down on the floor. "You can learn so much from me, princess. You don't need support of your little Execution Squad."

Diva didn't bend to his will. "I'm sorry, Aizen. I drive a very hard bargain." She maintained her honorific tone despite fighting the slyest Shinigami she had ever faced.

Miko and the others had thrown their attacks towards Aizen but he blocked them off and rendered them harmless. "Diva, why do you bother staying loyal to him? Hm?"

"Who?" The silver haired princess had no idea what this man was getting to.

"Hitsugaya-kun. You know he loves Hinamori than he will ever love you." Aizen was blocking her sword while her uncle simply just rendered the other four harmless though Jin was being a pain in the ass for them. "He may say he loves you but does he truly love you? If he does – he would have come here to help you."

"I told him to stay behind." Diva's teeth seethed frigidly. "I won't stop him if he wants to come here."

Aizen knew that Diva wasn't an easy person to break but he knew who was. "What about Shana? Did you ever consider her part of the family? You always called her "Hoshikaze" never by her first name. She worships you like a mother and here you are, using her like some puppet."

Shana stopped midway at her attack when she heard him but she heard a sharp clang. Turning her head up, she saw Diva putting all her effort into her shot. "I called her that because," –she bit her lip, "I was afraid. I was too afraid to let people get close to me because of this political matter. Do you think I wanted to involve her in this? No! Why do you think I kept my distance? But rest assured – never in my life have I ever used anyone as a puppet. I think the person you're talking about, is you!"

The silver haired princess' shots became more direct and Aizen simply dodged them. Shana didn't believe Aizen but that thought began to nag her. What was she in Diva's eyes? A nuisance? Just a team member? Or simply – just a puppet? The thought perplexed the little girl while she stood there wondering what she was to her.

Aizen saw that his words affected the little girl so he continued. "What about Jin and the others, hm? What do they mean to you? You always tell them to never lose hope, to keep their guards up but, what about you? I think you're the most careless one here. In fact – you're the weakest. You rely on them to hide your fear. You just never wanted to fight on your own!"

Diva's silver eyes changed into a bright cerulean colour. "Don't bother twisting the story!"

Their swords clashed while the uncle smirked at Aizen's progress. "Diva has always been weak against her friends. She would never lay a finger on them."

"So? What do they mean to you?" Aizen smirked while he stood a meter from the princess.

Diva was exhausted but she kept her sword up. Soon, she herself began doubting her leadership skills. "What do I really mean to them? Why am I so distrusting?" Later, she found Jin in front of her with a dark look in his eyes. "Kanagura…"

Then before they knew it, a crisp sound echoed into the air.

Diva felt a burning sensation at her left cheek when she just realized that Jin had backhanded her. "Ya gingami aho, don't ya dare doubt our trust like that! Aizen's just playing ya like a little mouse! He's doing dat to crack ya ta pieces. Don't fall for that! Ouji-sama's rival never falls for something that stupid!"

For once, everyone actually agreed with him. Shana walked over to her and gave her a big hug. "We'll follow you every step of the way, mama. Don't lose hope."

Reika smirked while pointing her scythe at the princess. "A genius knows another genius when she sees one."

Miko had her motherly smile. "Fukurou-buchou, you're not alone. You have us. We're family and we've been like this ever since. Don't let it stop now."

How could she have forgotten? They trusted her and as their pillar of support, she should have faith in them as well. At that moment, she remembered her conversation with Ichigo as well.

_(Flashback)_

_The silver haired Shinigami resisted the urge to hit Ichigo hard on the head. "Are you that stupid? Why are you willing to throw your life for nothing? Are you that insane? Don't you value the people around you? Don't you even want to spend time with them? So, you're willing to throw your life out of the window for something that doesn't really involve you?"_

_Ichigo knew that the questions Diva asked him were normal. "You know – there's a flipside to that. Sure, people think I'm stupid for involving myself but there is a reason why I got myself involved. The people I care about," Ichigo paused for a moment, "they're going to suffer if I don't get this thing done. Rukia gave me her powers to save my family and I became a Shinigami to protect people. I do this because I value them more than myself and I want to spend more time with them. So, I make sure I trash out every problem. Doesn't that occur to you too, Diva-san?"_

_(Flashback end)_

Yes, she did value them more than anything and now rediscovered the reason why she wanted to kill Aizen: not for her personal revenge but for them. Her family, not her uncle but the people she had met along the way.

Kanagura Jin, a brunette who was always there to smack some sense into her.

Shougetsu Miko, the blonde motherly one out of all of them. She always watched out for them no matter how stupid their actions were.

Hoshikaze Shana, their lavender haired ochibi in the family. Their very berserker like ochibi.

Yuchizawa Reika, the tangerine haired genius. She's the one who had the maturity to knock some sense into Jin when he was being an idiot.

The captains, the ones who protected her despite her being a fugitive.

The Ryoka who she had helped and somehow, they helped her rediscover what it's like to be human.

And lastly, the one special boy who gave her the will to fight back. Hitsugaya Toushiro.

Diva closed her eyes while she remembered all the feelings inside her. "Soar into the destiny drawn midnight," her body began to erupt with energy she had never tapped into before, "Yonaka Shukumei!"

Her claymore changed in form and size. What they all thought was once an ordinary claymore became a gearshift sword with two swords hidden in it. Diva's eyes reverted to her silver ones once more while she started releasing her bankai. "Now, to finish this battle once and for all. Bankai!"

Jin positioned himself on his fours once more. "Bankai!"

Miko drew out her staff. "Fukitsu, we'll finish this!"

Reika kicked her scythe into her hand. "I'm gonna kick your worthless asses now."

Shana drew out her bow. "Let the games begin!"

-That's chapter 24! Please review!


	25. Waterfall of Spirits

(I don't own Bleach!)

Chapter 25 – Waterfall of Spirits

Hitsugaya and the other captains were taking down any hollow that approached the first division barracks. There were many hollows but none of them managed to slip past the captains. Let alone they couldn't slip past Kenpachi because among all the captains, he was doing the most work. He was doing all the work all because he enjoyed the carnage. "Whoohoo let me at them! This is the happiest moment in my life! This is just thrilling!"

Everyone had second thoughts about Kenpachi Zaraki and was wondering whether or not he was on drugs. Then again, Kenpachi Zaraki was always like that. They were even wondering why or how Lieutenant Kusajishi Yachiru could possibly enjoy the carnage as much as Kenpachi when she was just a kid. Hitsugaya took down another hollow when Matsumoto and many of the lieutenants finally made their appearance and this included Hinamori Momo. "Taichou, have you seen Diva-chan? I didn't see her and I can't sense her spiritual pressure anymore!"

Hitsugaya looked at the huge doors behind him. "She's inside another realm." His tone was stiff and frigid.

Matsumoto knew what that meant. "But taichou, Aizen's also in there and so's the king! Are you just going to stand out here and let her get killed?"

All of a sudden, the captains felt a frosty wind lick against their skin and found a very nervous and anxious Hitsugaya. "I myself can't stand the fact that I can't go in there, Matsumoto. But – she told me to stay out here. But, if she doesn't come out in the next ten minutes, I don't give a crap about the rules anymore. I will barge in there myself and bury Aizen in a hatchet that he can't get out of! Better yet – I'll freeze him while I run my sword through him like a barbecue!"

Later, they noticed Momo had suddenly backhanded her childhood friend. "Don't say that about Aizen-taichou, Hitsugaya-kun!"

The white haired short captain grabbed Hinamori's shihakusho. "Momo, how many times do we need to go over this same stupid routine? How can you still call him taichou when he betrayed you? Doesn't it hurt when you're betrayed by someone you idolized? Aizen is a freakin' bastard who doesn't care what happens to his subordinates no matter how damn loyal they are! I've been trying to tell you as kindly as I could but I guess only yelling will get to your head! I can't believe you even stabbed Diva all because she was trying to help you! She was actually being nice about it and here you are – still supporting that asshole!"

It took both Matsumoto and Ichigo to get them apart. The two of them pried the two childhood friends apart before Hitsugaya let loose another ice age. "Taichou, that's enough! I think Hinamori-chan gets the point now! You didn't have to yell at her!"

His emerald orbs glared frigidly at the chocolate pools of Momo while he was breathing heavily after spouting. There were moments of silence between the captains and the lieutenants until they heard a loud slam on the floor. Yamamoto shuffled in like always in his usual pace. "It seems like the princess has chosen to deal with her uncle personally. We will stay here and guard the entrance until the five of them escape from there. When they do, we will seal them off and rip them away from this realm."

"Where will they go then?" Ukitake couldn't help but be curious.

Yamamoto's eyes revealed a grave look in them. "They will be immediately taken to hell where they will pay for their crimes. Murder of the royal family heir and false exile of its heiress are two of the most unforgivable crimes here in Soul Society. Aizen has done many things but I have never realized that we were being governed by a false king. I only know so much but the zero division would know more. However – we don't have much contact with them therefore resulting into many loopholes."

Hitsugaya had this question biting him ever since. "Commander Yamamoto, what happens when our false king is taken to hell? What will happen to Diva?"

"She will have her coronation." Yamamoto simply stated while facing towards at the sky. "She will be living in the King's realm and rule. After all – she was never supposed to have interacted with us, commoners after all."

Byakuya snapped his head towards the old captain. "Then, what happens to those who have associated with her?"

Yamamoto looked sadly at the floor. "All memories associating with her will have to be erased. All records will be burned and she will never be spoken of ever again."

The ice dragon paled at Yamamoto's words and Matsumoto noticed her captain. "After all," –he recalled the rules of Soul Society, "a noble can never fall in love with a commoner and vice versa."

Ichigo remained silent during the entire ordeal but he noticed that Hitsugaya had begun to walk farther away from the crowd of captains. "Hey, Toushiro, where are you going?"

The captains noticed that the child prodigy had begun walking away and staring off at a void. "I'm not going anywhere and its Captain Hitsugaya to you, Kurosaki."

Matsumoto walked next to her captain while she patted him on the back. "Taichou, it's alright. I don't think we're," she stopped midway in her sentence when she saw tears dripping from the younger superior's eyes and in his hand was a blue rose that he had previously given to Diva days back. "You're madly in love with her."

"You don't need to be a rocket genius to figure that out, Matsumoto." Hitsugaya's tone became frigid once more.

Momo didn't say anything but then, Byakuya approached the younger captain. "I think I can somehow relate."

"Really, I'd like to see you try." Hitsugaya glared frigidly though his words were a lot harsher than intended.

The Kuchiki noble let out a sigh while he sensed the frustration coming from the smaller captain. "Do you know who Hisana is?"

Hitsugaya didn't know where this was coming from. "No. Do you?"

"She was my wife." Byakuya simply glanced at the younger boy while he leaned against the wall. "You do know that the Kuchiki family is a noble family right?"

"Duh," Hitsugaya rolled his eyes, "as if everybody doesn't know that."

Byakuya decided to catch him off guard. "Did you know what she was a commoner?"

Hitsugaya just nodded. "Yeah, I knew that." Then, he stopped for a moment and gave Byakuya a droll stare. "Wait, did you say that she was a commoner?"

The sixth division captain now knew that he had the prodigy's attention. "Yes, she was. I loved her more than anything so I broke the law to marry her. She is Rukia's sister so basically – I broke the rule twice. The main rule is for a noble to never bring in a commoner. Rukia and Hisana were both commoners. I fought against the law that time but when my parents passed away, that's when I swore I'd never break the law again."

"Then again, you did," Hitsugaya remembered when Rukia was about to be executed, "you stopped the Soukyouku from killing Rukia though that was more on Kurosaki's part."

Byakuya smirked while he looked at the sky. "My point is – there's a loophole in every law. Not all laws are perfect, Hitsugaya."

The white haired captain raised an eyebrow. "And this is coming from a man who upholds the law as if it were his life?"

"I'm just saying that not all laws are perfect, Hitsugaya. I'm not saying that I obey and uphold the law in every way possible." The Kuchiki clan member glowered at the child prodigy.

The wielder of Hyourinmaru thought for a moment about Kuchiki Byakuya's words. If so, what loophole was there? He didn't even know where to start. He knew he should have taken the law classes more seriously. "Damn, I wish I memorized that law book. Now I'm starting to regret that I didn't give it my all in the exams." With a scoff of annoyance, Hitsugaya began trying to recall all his lessons about Soul Society's laws. "There has to be something there. I just don't know what it is."

Byakuya knew that he had at least given the boy a little hope because he himself was going to break that same rule. Miko wasn't exactly what you call noble family born either. "So that makes two of us, I wonder about the other three."

Ichigo noticed that Orihime began to fidget a little bit whenever she looked at the first squad barracks. "You okay?" Though he was starting to feel that it was Yamamoto's spiritual energy that was scaring her, there were many other things to consider. After all, the man had such a large amount of spiritual energy that he knew how to make even the greatest captains and Shinigami look bad.

She put her hands in prayer position while shivering. "I just hope he's okay."

Ichigo knew that there was only one person that she was worrying about. "Looks like she's been worrying over that chocolate haired idiot ever since."

Ukitake wasn't the least bit calm either. He was worried over Reika who was in there facing someone who was way over her calibre. Then again, she herself had improved over the times they had trained together. He was just not in the mood to lose another lieutenant let alone someone he now held close. "Reika, please make it out alright. I know you can do it. It's within your strength."

Uryuu watched the smoke rise while they waited outside the first division doors. "Shana, I wish I could've been more helpful. But I guess I'm just being baggage since I'm doing nothing but sitting out here and waiting for you. I just hope I taught you the right things in terms of your Quincy abilities."

Byakuya was also a little anxious himself. "Miko, I know you're strong. I've seen your strength and I know you have the power to defeat whatever obstacles you have in your way but, this man is different from any battle we have fought together in. Be careful, Aizen is someone who should not be taken lightly."

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On the other side, things were going a lot better than expected. Diva fought on more powerful terms now against Aizen. Her power began to rise infinitely now that she had Shukumei in her true form. "Shukumei, why didn't you tell me about your true self? Am I that untrustworthy?"

"_Mistress, I did it for your safety. I wanted people to believe that you were as powerful as a normal Shinigami. I didn't want your cover to be blown so soon." _The silver Pegasus apologized sincerely. _"I'm sorry, mistress. Is there anything you need me to do?"_

Diva blocked another kidou shot that was heading for her. "Yeah, think you can split yourself into ten blades?"

Jin swung his hatchet axe which Aizen blocked efficiently and kicked the boy back. However, the brunette revealed his Chain Step and began his nearly flawless assault. Not really expecting much out of Jin, Aizen realized that underestimating the brunette was his biggest mistake. The brunette started building up a large vacuum around his hatchet axe. "You're too slow, dumbass!" With his arm burning with spiritual energy, Jin flashed out his power. "Try this one for size, Cyclone Tornado Hatchet!"

Seeing the vacuum getting even bigger, Aizen was force to throw his body back to avoid the blast but he managed to recover again. Without any hesitation, Aizen continued attacking and he quickly began to dispose of them as if they were nothing. Miko however was not one to hold back when the time called for her true abilities. "Kage Shigure!" (Shadow Rain)

Shadows formed themselves in the air and then shaped into blades. Fukitsu stood in front of Aizen in its huge menacing form and sent the blades after him. Aizen quickly dodged them and even blocked a few with his blade alone. "Is this all the Execution Squad has to offer me? Quite worthless I'd say."

Reika then turned her hair into a bright crimson colour. "Oh, don't get too cocky you son of a bitch. I'm not done with you yet." With her scythe in hand and her soul in one with her soul cutter, Reika proved to be a much stronger adversary than the last time he had faced her.

Shana drew back her bow and on the spot, she was forced to create a new technique. "Entaku Arrow!"

This technique was much more powerful than her Razor Dunk and Razor Beam. It was a fusion of the two techniques and she managed to infuse some more power into it. The only fall back to this technique however was the fact that she required more power to harness its true strength. But because she was quite synchronized with Shinijikumaru, she was quite content with using the attack over and over again. "I'm not going to let you win!"

Aizen dodged but found it burning part of his robes. "Not too bad, brat. I'm more interested on how your dear leader is working out though."

This time, the princess decided to go against her uncle while the others took down Aizen. She purposely did this for one thing: Jin had the highest resistance against hypnosis and Aizen's forte was hypnosis. Miko on the other hand was a healer and many times – Jin had gotten reckless and gained more wounds than normal. Shana too fought in the same style as Jin did but her attacks were more far range so it wasn't really a problem. Reika on the other hand was a tensai and fought with strategy. Hopefully, they would end out of this battle alive and maybe with just a few scuffs here and there.

But life was never fair now was it?

Diva's sword refused to cut through her uncle's shield. It was a lot harder than expected because whatever attack she had thrown at it simply reflected right back at her. No matter what counter she had used against her uncle, the shield would not shatter. "Is that all you have? Your power has done nothing but decreased along the years. Hisoka would be so disappointed in you, Diva. He even begged me to spare your pathetic life but I guess now I know why."

Diva was infuriated by the comment. "I'll show you that I've gotten stronger. Believe me – this isn't even half my power!"

Releasing as much spiritual energy as she could, Diva was forced to release more powerful techniques. "Youki Ken."

Fusing both the speed of the Quick Sword and the Phantom Sword, Diva made her first counter technique evolve into what she called the "Ghostly Sword". It matched its meaning quite well seeing that her attacks were more accurate, fluid and less energy consuming. The Phantom Sword may have been slower than the Quick Sword but it was certainly more accurate. Once he saw that this technique began breaking his shield, the uncle began releasing more power and he then proved that Diva's powers were nowhere near his no matter what she did. "Bakudo Seven Hundred Sixty, Cry of the Fallen."

Without any incantation, this Bakudo spell would have only been on one third its true power. However, that was all he needed because as soon as the spell was released, Diva was thrown back along with the other members of the Execution Squad. They rolled on the ground unconscious while Aizen walked towards Diva with a smirk. Grabbing her hair, he whispered into her ear. "You were always so proud on how beautiful you looked. I think it's time you deserved a little tainting. There is no such thing as a pure angel."

Diva didn't reply but Miko started emitting an ominous aura that could kill someone in an instant. "Unhand her…"

Aizen looked at the glowing blonde whose body was being surrounded by a black aura. "Unhand Diva-chan." She steadied herself while her once cerulean blue pools became a deadly black colour. "Unhand her right now!"

Her spiritual energy started growing and expanding infinitely and never did Aizen see what a berserk Miko was like. Black tails formed behind her and her hands became more like claws. Whiskers appeared on her cheeks while she started hissing like a very angry and rabid cat. Cat ears even started to appear on her head and her blonde hair became even more unruly. "Don't even try touching her, Aizen!"

Burning with rage, Miko ran towards him and began her attack. Aizen recognized that only two tails appeared which meant only one thing: Fukitsu wasn't at its fullest yet. "How long can you keep your sanity, dear girl? I doubt you can't hold it for long."

Blocking her lashing tails with his blade, Aizen decided to hypnotize her. "Shatter, Kyouka Suigetsu."

The sword became a bluish fog which then engulfed the girl. Trying to locate Aizen, Miko began sniffing the air and her ears began twitching. "Aizen," Her tone was very glacial. "Where are you!?"

There was no response but then, another fight ensued when Miko blocked his attack and she began growing two more tails. Her hands were now engulfed by a black energy which soon stretched out to crush Aizen's body. The former captain actually found himself in a hopeless situation for once. Miko was completely unstoppable at this rate and he didn't even have enough power to break lose. A powerful kidou spell wasn't even good enough to smash her arm off. Every time he blasted her arm, she quickly healed up as if it were never a wound to begin with. "You're a monster." He gaped at the blonde whose fangs started growing longer.

"I'm so hungry." Miko hissed while she began crushing him even more. "It's been awhile since I last had a powerful Shinigami for a…ah!"

Shocking her from behind, Diva's uncle forced Miko back into her normal state. "I should've have used this spell ever since before, Hadou Eight Hundred, Sealing of the Four Gods." Watching her body slump down, he smirked at the fallen blonde's body. "She was too much to be used as a weapon. Then again – how did my pathetic niece even control her?"

"Perhaps," Aizen stood up with a smile. "It was just sheer loyalty."

Kicking Miko's fallen body aside, he turned to Aizen. "Do what you wish to my niece. She is of no use to me."

Aizen looked at Diva who was struggling to get up. "You're in such a pathetic state. But the more pathetic you are – the better it seems to be in my case, Diva dearest."

The silver haired princess was struggling to gain whatever power she had left but she was too exhausted. "No, why can't I get up? I'm so close but why… ngh!"

Grabbing her long silver hair, Aizen began whispering into her ears. "Let the torture begin, my dear princess."

Before Diva could reach out for her zanpakuto, Aizen had stripped off her robes of death and threw her on the floor. Cutting her silver hair which was now shoulder length, he advanced towards her with a malicious smile while he kicked her soul cutter somewhere where it was out of her reach. "You can't run behind anyone anymore, princess."

Seeing her soul cutter, Diva tried to use her phantom step only to fail miserably when he grabbed her wrist and pulled her into a rough embrace. "You're not going anywhere. You're going to be mine, princess. Nobody else's," Aizen's words dripped with malice while his hands began touching her in places that she didn't want.

Unlike the way Hitsugaya calls her, Aizen made her feel so powerless. What could she do? Her friends were unconscious, she was in a realm that no one could just enter and worst of all – the last of her family just abandoned her to die. "Let go of me! Let go of me, Aizen!" All her attempts to get out of Aizen's iron grip were completely futile.

"It's too late. You dangerously and disastrously miscalculated, dear girl." Aizen began licking her skin and soon, she felt him sink his teeth into her skin causing her to reel back but the former captain held fast. "Why are you running away, Diva? It's just us here."

Diva screamed the first name that came into her mind. "Someone, help me!" –she couldn't believe that this was happening to her. "Toushiro, help me!"

Aizen loved the fact that Diva was completely powerless against him. "Scream some more, Diva. I think your screaming makes such beautiful music."

Her friends were paralysed and they were forced to watch their leader get broken down into pieces. "No," Reika kept trying to move but her body wouldn't obey, "come on, you dumb body! Move your freaking limbs, damn it! I won't let Diva get raped!"

Shana had tears slipping from her eyes. "Mama…!"

The brunette hissed while he looked away from his rival in pain. "Damn, it can't end like this!"

Diva's skin now bore angry marks of teeth and many love bites now decorated her body. Struggling furiously, Diva found no strength to even fight back anymore. "I'm going to die like this. No," –she then decided to keep a stoic face as she went through it. "Well, I might as well go with it. I can't do anything anymore."

"You should let go of her, right now." A very glacial voice came from behind her.

Aizen looked up with a malicious smile. "You don't mind sharing her, do you?"

Diva saw her captain fuming angrier than he was before while the ground around him began to freeze. "You like sharing but I unfortunately don't. Forcing an unwilling female is called rape and the fact that you're raping a member of the royal family is more than reason for me to kill you!" Without any warning and roaring in utter fury, Hitsugaya started his attack towards Aizen while the former captain just threw her body aside. Diva crashed on the floor while the Execution Squad crawled towards each other while Hitsugaya was on berserker mode. No one had ever seen him this angry and soon, the uncle found himself surrounded by the thirteen court squad guards. "Plotting against the royal family is beyond unforgivable." Yamamoto drew out Ryuujin Jakka. "Even if you're a king, we will punish you."

"I will never serve a false king." Unohana drew out Miyazuki which took form of a huge sting ray.

"Murder of the royal family members is unforgivable as well," Soi Fon drew out her soul cutter while her eyes dazzled with fury.

Komamura was not limiting himself anymore. "You will not be forgiven for handing us over to a traitor."

Kenpachi never gave a crap about politics. "Yeah, I get to kill someone strong!"

In fear of the thirteen court squad guards, the uncle stumbled back and was found at the edge of the waterfall. However, he found several blades at his neck when he saw the lieutenants of each squad and even Ichigo had his sword raised to the man's head. "You're more disgusting than anyone I've ever seen."

Hisagi was too disgusted to even find words to describe his actions. "You let your only niece be raped by someone who is nothing more than a traitor…"

Matsumoto was not going to let this slip either. "You made Gin and many other people turn away because of your selfishness. Now, you're even making your own niece lose whatever she has left."

Momo finally knew where her loyalties lied. "I will not let you hurt Diva-chan. She's Shiro-chan's friend and she's my friend too."

"I may not know her well," Kira pushed Wabisuke even closer, "but I have many reasons why I want to help them protect her too."

The uncle was at a loss until he heard a gurgle of blood. Aizen now hung on Hitsugaya's sword; bleeding whatever was left in his body. Emerald orbs burned into his soul. "I won't forgive you for making Diva cry. She never deserved any of this crap. You don't even deserve to be part of her family."

"You will die here in this realm where no one will hear of you ever again." Yamamoto didn't want to do this but this man had done the most unforgivable.

Stepping back, the uncle was now unsure whether or not the Thirteen Court Squad Guards would kill him but then, he sensed the aura of Yamamoto which meant he was. Then, he remembered something: He was king and these people had to obey his orders whether they like it or not. Also – he had power over their zanpakuto. These were two of the privileges of the king. "You will not kill me with just your soul cutters." Bringing out his hand, the king knew he could turn this battle around. "All things will reduce into ashes, Ryuujin Jakka!"

A huge flame burned into the air and this one was a lot bigger than Yamamoto's flame. Smirking broadly, the king controlled the flame as if it were nothing. "Do you think you can usurp me with such puny powers such as yours?"

Yamamoto drew out his zanpakuto. "No one could ever surpass me in experience when it comes to wielding Ryuujin Jakka. Even if – you're a king, you have no experience in combat."

The king sent the flame but Yamamoto easily disposed it in one shot while the other captains banded together to end the betrayal of their realm. Betrayal was running rampant now and they decided to end it once and for all. "Aizen, get up you useless fool!"

The corpse dissipated from Hitsugaya's sword and now, three of the traitors of Soul Society stood next to the king. Ichimaru gave a foxy grin. "It's been awhile, Ran-chan."

Matsumoto bristled at her nickname. "Gin, why…?"

Momo only stared in horror at her former captain. "Captain Aizen, why would you do something like this?"

"Simple," Aizen turned around with a smirk and then with a swift stab, the king now found a blade impaled into him. "I want the power. I want to rule Soul Society."

"You…" The king started coughing out blood while Ichimaru then impaled him also. "Sorry, old man. Your reign's over."

Tousen didn't say anything but Komamura pleaded. "Tousen, is the path you have truly chosen? You said the least amount of bloodshed is best. They're making this into a bloodbath!"

Hisagi begged his captain to turn his back on Aizen. "Please understand."

Ichigo pointed his sword at Aizen. "As far as I'm concerned – you're the root of this problem and I think it's time I dished out some damage!" Charging without a warning, Ichigo led an attack against Aizen.

Anticipating this, Aizen held an orb in his hand. "Yamamoto, do you know what this is?"

They all noticed the old man's face become pale. "How did you manage to even get it? The orb of command, Oose no Gyoku is something that only..."

"The king has," Aizen interrupted smoothly, "this is why he always has power over our strength and as long as I have this orb – I can control any zanpakuto that I want. Observe." Pointing it to Matsumoto, he showed a wide sneer. "Growl, Haineko."

Her zanpakuto rampaged violently and let out a series of slashes and Matsumoto had no control over it. Hitsugaya blocked the attacks. "Matsumoto, control your zanpakuto!"

"I can't!" Matsumoto dodged another shot while she frantically tried to grab her sword.

Aizen seemed to be having fun. "And now, to command the biggest zanpakuto himself: the lord of all, Teikoku Akanesasusora!" (Imperial Glowing Sky)

The soul cutter manifested itself in a form of a huge dragon. But because of Aizen's intentions, its once radiant white colour changed into a tainted black. Snapping its jaws at them, the dragon threw itself forward and with a beat of its huge wings, he sent most of the captains flying. Komamura, because he was huge managed to stand his ground. "Tousen, is this the man you have chosen to serve? Are you insane? Have you lost your sense of justice!?"

Tousen looked at Aizen who was having a hell of a time wielding the huge dragon but then, Komamura did have a point. Without warning, he chose to strike Aizen but the dragon had noticed Tousen's treachery towards Aizen and because the former fifth squad captain had the orb of command, he crushed the man with a single blow with his claw. "Betraying me now, are you? If so Tousen – you deserve to die. Teikoku Akanesasusora, kill him."

Roaring loudly, the dragon crushed Tousen like he was nothing more than a mere toothpick. Komamura stared in horror but rushed towards Aizen a few seconds later. "AIZEN, YOU WILL PAY FOR THIS!"

Hisagi tried to stop the behemoth sized captain. "Captain Komamura, wait!"

The fox headed captain didn't listen and the dragon began throwing its attacks towards him. With a mighty cry, Komamura leapt up into the air and was more than ready to bash Aizen as he brought out his soul cutter. "Roar, Tenken!"

Dodging him, the dragon swung its spiked tail towards Komamura who easily caught it with his bare hands. The other captains took this as a sign to attack and launched their attacks against the dragon.

On the other side, Hitsugaya now held a sobbing Diva in his arms. It was taking her quite awhile to recover from her shock from her own uncle. Gently caressing her, Hitsugaya was filled with even more hatred for Aizen as he examined the angry marks Diva's body was full of. "Diva, I'm sorry. But – I'm glad that you called out for me."

Diva looked up at him for a moment. "Y-You heard me?"

"Yeah," Hitsugaya wiped the tears from her eyes while his emerald orbs looked at her lovingly, "if you didn't call me, you would've died and I would have never been able to forgive myself." He looked up at the dragon which was attacking. "Speaking of which, how do you defeat the dragon? Is there any way?"

"There is," Diva stood up while trying to steady her body, "but it's a partner type thing. Kurosaki-san, I want you to make the biggest Getsuga Tenshou attack you have ever imagined. If you can make the attack bigger, it would be better."

Ichigo was a little clueless on why he should do it. "Uh, are you sure? Yamamoto's not making much damage either and he's stronger than me."

Diva shook his comment aside. "Just do as I say." Closing her eyes, Diva knew that her last counter was the only technique that could break the dragon long enough for Ichigo to destroy. "Tenth Counter, Song of Requiem: Revenge of the Banished!"

Hitsugaya's eyes widened when he saw Diva's body glowing with a silvery white aura. Miko stood up while she watched her buchou glow. "Buchou, that's a suicide technique! Don't do it!"

Jin managed to stand up while he began charging up his strength. "Song of Requiem: Punishment of the Golden Dragons!"

Shana watched the two grow in power while she too resorted to a power that she thought she would never have to use. "I hope this will help you, Mama." Knowing this was one of their last ditch attempts, Shana closed her eyes and began to bring out her power. "Resent, Shinijikukami!" (Death Axle God)

Miko watched the younger girl's zanpakuto reveal its second form and knew that this was no joke. "I thought I'd never have to use this – Fukitsu Kage, bankai!"

Her staff vanished and she started transforming into a huge cat. Thirteen tails started behind her and Miko's hands became claws and she was more ferocious looking. "Juusan Shouka, Fukitsu Kage!" (Thirteen Songs, Shadow of Calamity)

Reika smirked while she watched her captain exceed in strength. "Looks like Diva's doing a gamble," closing her eyes, the tangerine haired girl revealed her new source of power as well. "This is my bankai: Shouten imu Shini, Shukketsu Boumei Sha!"

Her tangerine hair became longer and it didn't change into a crimson colour anymore. With these attacks piling up, Diva was glad that they still had faith in her. "Thank you everyone."

Reika gave her a thumb up. "Let's just finish this guy and go home!"

With one final battle cry, the five launched their attack which was followed by a familiar cry. "GETSUGA TENSHOU!"

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(Epilogue)

"Captain, there's so much paper work to be done!" The strawberry blonde haired lieutenant whined to the shorter captain.

Hitsugaya was bound to snap sooner or later. "Matsumoto, will you just shut up and do your work!"

He had been snappier lately ever since that day. It had been two weeks ever since the last battle happened. The winter war was finally over and Hitsugaya was just being piled up with even more paper work than before. "Diva, where are you?"

She had vanished ever since that last attack and Hitsugaya didn't see her the moment the battle ended. He just found himself outside of the realm of the king with the rest of the Thirteen Squad Captains. Brushing his lips gently with his own fingers, he remembered the time he kissed her. She was so gentle and she was his angel and the law just had to cruelly take her away from him. He felt empty and his mind was always going off track because of this. Matsumoto had noticed that Hitsugaya was scowling more often. "I heard Miko-chan and Captain Kuchiki are together now."

It was true; everyone had found someone they loved. Ichigo even managed to tell Rukia much to Byakuya's chagrin and Shana had volunteered the squad area in case Uryuu needed a place to stay. Ukitake became the center of attention the moment Kyoraku blabbed out his relationship with Reika. Momo was in better shape now and she let Aizen go and she was currently with Kira. How that happened he had no idea. "Yeah, so what's the problem, Matsumoto? Just finish your work."

There was a pregnant pause after that. Matsumoto knew that it was going to take Hitsugaya awhile before he ended up normal again. Well, she liked him more when he was smiling. "Hey, I heard that there's a huge Soul Society announcement. They'll be crowning the new leader."

Hitsugaya continued organizing the papers. "Ah."

"He's been speaking monosyllabically ever since," Matsumoto glance at her shorter superior and noticed a melancholy look in his eyes. "You really miss her, don't you?"

The white haired captain knew that Matsumoto was worrying about him. "Yeah, it's because she always helped me get the paper work done." He smirked while fixing his drawers.

Matsumoto made a pout. "Taichouuuuuuuuuu, you're mean!"

Hitsugaya apparently learned how to take it in stride. "Thank you."

Noticing a small smile shift on his face, Matsumoto knew that her pep talk was actually working. "Don't worry taichou. You'll see her again."

"Yeah, it would just be a courtesy nod the next time we meet," Hitsugaya sulked with that thought.

Hearing a loud horn, Matsumoto dragged her captain. "Captain, the ceremony, it's starting!"

Without having much to protest about, Hitsugaya was dragged by Matsumoto towards the open court. There all the captains stood there waiting for the arrival of the royal family and in the nick of time, the doors opened to reveal Diva in a very beautiful kimono that Hitsugaya was breathless when he saw her. "She's beautiful."

"Yeah and her brother's a knock out in the looks department too." Matsumoto smacked her lips when she saw Diva's step brother.

Hitsugaya elbowed her while he watched the ceremony. "People of Soul Society, I know my father has abused his power and become such an ass." Everyone gasped at his statement because since when did the prince learn how to curse like that? "Which is why – I, Prince Kyosuke, give you all, your real queen, my step sister, Fukurou Diva!" Kyosuke placed a crown on her head which emitted a white aura which captivated the crowd.

A loud cheering came from the crowds while Hitsugaya clapped quietly. Diva was just such a sight to see right now and he focused all his attention on her. "People, I know my brother is following the law by handing me the crown but apparently," –taking it off her head, Diva shook her head in disapproval. "I cannot take this crown. It also states in the law that a man should rule Soul Society. I do not mind not being queen because I have learned a lot of things by being among you."

Gasps and murmurs came from the crowd while she silenced them. "I know you are bewildered but I've just discovered that I am not fit to sit on a throne in rule but rather –." She threw off her kimono to reveal her shihakusho under it all this time, "to wield a sword like a Shinigami and protect you in the front lines like I should as your queen."

Kyosuke somewhat was smiling while the captains were shocked when she jumped off the ledge and landed in front of the people. "I want to live among you. Also – there's someone I promised to stay with him for as long as I live and for as long as I promise." Walking towards Hitsugaya, she gave him a weak smile. "Captain Hitsugaya, I," –she then shook her head, "oh what the heck!" Grabbing him and not giving him any time to protest, she kissed him in front of everybody earning shocks from everyone.

Kyosuke then chose to proclaim a new law. "Also, since I am king I now declare the rule of nobles to be abolished! Anyone should be allowed to be with whomever they please."

Hitsugaya didn't listen anymore after that because he deepened the kiss and didn't let go. Running his fingers through her hair, Hitsugaya parted away from her while his emerald orbs stared into hers. "So, you're here forever?"

"I guess." She shrugs. "But it was worth it."

"Yeah," Hitsugaya smiled at her while embracing her again. "You bet it is."

The End

-That's Chapter 25! Please review!


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